Is There Room for God in the Marketplace?

God Rant!

Most blogger's, writer's, and public speaker's do everything possible to increase their readership and the attendance at their speaking events. Topic's from Self Improvement, Positive Thinking, Time Management, Goal Setting, to Holistic Healing, Scrap Booking and on and on and on. As I prayed this morning I wondered to myself why I, a self professed Christian, had not blogged on the subject of God? Am I too wishy washy in an attempt to placate the general audience?

While I'm self professing I have to admit I've been concerned that blatant God talk would turn potential followers away from my blog, websites or businesses. I've woven stories throughout some of my posts about the creator of the universe, but I've shied away from taking the subject head on. Incredibly I have become cowed by PC think and never realized I had succumbed. This realization is is startling, mainly because I am incessantly talking with and thanking God for all that I have and His mercy on my life. I survived Vietnam for a year in 1968. I have been involved in seven major car accidents and have never been scratched. I have no life but that which He has granted me.

I have always believed in God. I have always had a feeling, as long as I remember, that someone or something is always watching, observing my life as it unfolds. Observing the creation around me; the cactus flower blooming in my window in mid February (shown), the animals and fish, the stars and the sun and the moon; I have a tough time understanding those who don't believe in God. To believe that it's all a random occurrence boggles my mind. Coming to know how the human eye works, how intricate the mechanism of our hands are, the fact that as I write this message my heart is beating keeping me alive. How is it that my heart continues on without an outside power source. It's God, is my answer. Detractors will say, where's your proof? My response, prove to me He doesn't exist. It's a faith thing either way.

Amazingly in the midst of this writing A good friend called and I told him my concern about why I haven't expressed my beliefs in my writings with more fervor. Paul said to me; "CW, anyone who knows you knows you're a faith based man." That's nice, but does anyone who reads my writings know I'm a faith based man, with Jesus Christ as my God, my Lord, My savior and my brother.

I'm a goal oriented individual. I'm not what I want to be; I'm not what I'm going to be; but thank God I'm not what I used to be. My goal in this life is to come to such conviction so I will exclaim the following from the roof tops and never waiver.

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed

The dies been cast, I've stepped over the line the decision has been made. I am a friend of Jesus Christ! I won't look back, let up, back away or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense and my future is secure. I've finished, I'm done with low living, side walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, chincy giving and dwarfed goals. I no longer seek preeminence, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, live by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gate is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my ways rough, my companions few, my guide reliable and my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured, turned back , diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the mass of mediocrity. I am a friend of Jesus! I must go till heaven returns, give until I drop, preach till I know, and work until He comes. And when He does come to get His own friends He'll have no problem recognizing me

If you will, keep me in your prayers.

CW

IMPROVE YOUR SELF?

IS IT IMPORTANT TO IMPROVE YOUR SELF?
Sometimes, when all our doubts, fears and insecurities wrap ourselves up, we always come up with the idea of “I wish I was somebody else.” More often than not, we think and believe that someone or rather, most people are better than us.- when in reality, the fact is, most people are more scared than we are.

You spot a totally eye-catching girl sitting by herself at a party, casually sipping on a glass of Asti Spumanti. You think to yourself, “she looks so perfectly calm and confident.” But if you could read thru her transparent mind, you would see a bunch of clouds of thoughts and you might just be amazed that she’s thinking “are people talking about why I am seated here alone?... Why don’t guys find me attractive? …I don’t like my ankles, they look too skinny… I wish I was as intelligent as my best friend.”

We look at a young business entrepreneur and say “Wooh… what else could he ask for?” He stares at himself at the mirror and murmur to himself, “I hate my big eyes… I wonder why my friends won’t talk to me… I hope mom and dad would still work things out.”

Isn’t it funny? We look at other people, envy them for looking so outrageously perfect and wish we could trade places with them, while they look at us and thinks of the same thing. We are insecure of other people who themselves are insecure of us. We suffer from low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence and lose hope in self improvement because we are enveloped in quiet desperation.

Sometimes, you notice that you have an irritating habit like biting off your finger nails, having a foul mouth, and you – of all people, is the last to know. I have a friend who never gets tired of talking. And in most conversations, she is the only one who seems to be interested in the things she has to say. So all of our other friends tend to avoid the circles whenever she’s around, and she doesn’t notices how badly she became socially handicapped – gradually affecting the people in her environment.

One key to self improvement is to LISTEN and TALK to a trusted friend. Find a friend who you find comfort in expressing private feelings. Ask questions like “do you think I am ill-mannered?”, “Do I always sound so argumentative?”, “Do I talk too loud?”, “Does my breath smell?”, “Do I ever bore you when were together?”; in this way, the other person will know that you are interested in the process of self improvement. And the hardest part follows; listen to the criticism without becoming offended.

One of Whitney Houston’s songs says “Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.” True enough; in order to love others, you must love yourself too. Remember, you cannot give what you do not have.

Before telling other people some ways on how to improve themselves, let them see that you yourself are a representation and a product of self improvement. Self improvement helps to make us a better person. We can then inspire other people, and then the others will follow.
Stop thinking of yourself as second-rate being. Forget the repetitive thought of “If only I was richer… if only I was thinner”.......if only (fill in the blank). Accepting your true self is the first step to self improvement. We need to stop comparing ourselves to others only to find out at the end that we’ve got ten more reasons to envy them. Only compare yourself to the you you know you can be.

We all have our insecurities; nobody is perfect. We always wish we had better things, better features, better body parts, etc. But life need not to be perfect for people to be happy about themselves. Self improvement and loving yourself is not a matter of shouting to the whole world that you are perfect or that you are the best. It’s the virtue of acceptance and contentment. When we begin to improve ourselves, we then begin to feel more content and happy.

CW

Self Improvement?

Make a Decision=Self Improvement

There is a great gap between hoping and wishing for a change to occur in your life, and aggressively pursuing the decision to initiate change in your life. You have or don't have everything in your life that you want; if you want it bad enough you make a decision to do what is needed.

You remember your New Year resolutions? These are not decisions, they are the products of wishful thinking. People who indulge in wishful thinking will probably not succeed in initiating change in their life. They believe that if the wishes come true they will become happier but the chances that that will happen are quite small. The odds are about as great as winning the lottery.

Decisions are quite different. A person who makes a decision is fed up with his current conditions and is willing to take steps to actively get what he or she wants. He or she is ready to do his homework, maybe consult a professional, create a plan of action, and then proceed to undertake extensive and consistent steps to make changes; For Things to Change first I Must change! Decisions require 100% of our commitment. We also have to be ready to make follow-up steps regardless of the demands on us.

Our current status in life is based on decisions we pursued in the past, or maybe the lack of it. Some people flit about from lackluster decision to bad decision or perhaps even dodge making decisions altogether. Such people find their lives have turned out not to their satisfaction but should realize that they could get the best out of their lives if they only chose to make the decision to change. It all starts with one decision.

Those who start changing their lives positively and and want reap greater success and happiness; there are many tools available to them. They may rely on coaching programs, seminars, audio programs and self-improvement books to help them through the process of change. The Internet and libraries have the wisdom of the world ready to be accessed at little or no cost.

The people who maintain control over their minds and their emotions are the ones who are the most fulfilled in this life. Such people have a conditioned response to make decisions – after they have decided, they do not reconsider their decision. Such people are always looking for ways to improve themselves and are aware that regardless how good they think they are, there is always room for improvement. Such people know that happiness and fulfillment is based on their consistent growth and contribution based on self-improvement ideas. They realize failure is just an educational process; you get up one more time than you get knocked down.

There is power behind a truly committed decision. This is the key to the self-improvement idea. But most of us find it hard to stick to a decision since life is a struggle to change our lives and steer our ship to the desired destination..

Take control of your decisions and you take control of your actions. A truly committed decision allows you to devote your energies to the outcome you envision in your mind.

Decide........... TODAY

Act............ TODAY

Accomplish Your Dreams...........In Your Lifetime

CW

"Do it today, so you'll have it tomorrow." part 2

"Do it today, so you'll have it tomorrow." (2)

Many of us have made a decision to make improvements

in our lives. Some have made the decision to take what they've

always done and take it to another level.
And some have decided it's finally time to go after the

Big Dream. To reach back in the recesses of our lives and bring

to the forefront the dreams and desires we've stored in the attic or

basement of our mind. We dusted them off, shined the light of
day on them and even proclaimed said dreams to friends and relatives.

Winter is a time when it's easy to fall back into old habits.

It's easy to return to that which is warm, cozy and comfortable.

I know in the winter I would like to become a member
of the bear species and hibernate, not to wake up till spring.

It's easy to slide back into our COMFORT ZONES.

For those who have made the commitment to change that means

DANGER, DANGER, DANGER Life Changer, DREAM Maker.

Change will not happen in comfort.

The long winter is about over. Light is shining for more hours each day.

Time to wake. Time to energize. Get plugged in, recharge.

Attack Spring at 100%

Act In Spite of FEAR

Be Willing To Do What's Hard

Be Larger Than Any Obstacle

Fulfill Your Mission

Make A Difference

You Have Important Work To Do

Add Value To Peoples Lives

Live Your Vision

Never Give Up

"If you do today that which others won't do.

You'll have tomorrow what others won't have,"

CW

"Do it today, so you'll have it tomorrow." part 1

"Do it today, so you'll have it tomorrow." (1)

"If you do the things today that others won’t do, you’ll have the

things tomorrow that others won’t have."

February 16. 2009, what do you have planned for today?

Are your actions through out this day going to take you closer to your dreams and goals or will you settle for the status quo?

We, the human species, are the only creations that have a choice to grow, to stagnate or even to die if we so choose. We're also the only species that doesn't always grow to our full potential. How tall will a tree grow? As tall as it can, it doesn't have a choice. In the winter the goose will fly south. Because if you're a goose that's what you do. You or I can decide to go south if we choose. We may choose to stay where we are or go in any direction we desire.

I've observed, however, the longer we are a certain way the more difficult it is for us to change. It stuns me that the last time I blogged was ten weeks ago. The title of said blog was "For things To Change First I Must Change." I made a decision to create a blog to help me in my own journey to change. I've made a successful living influencing people to purchase whatever it is I am selling. I'm in the midst of changing myself into a person who influences individuals to find inside themselves someone they're very proud to display to the world. I believe our, human beings, inherent problem is we become comfortable with whatever our individual situation becomes.

Reference a recent e-mail to my friends;

Danger, Danger, Danger Will Robinson!!!!!

If you know where that came from, not only are you of a

CERTAIN age but you watched some pretty corny stuff.

Our Danger ZONE.....as many of us have come to realize is our COMFORT.

For things to change..............first I must change.
Change is HARD!

CW

Part Two Tomorrow

Keep Your Word, Change Your Life

Your Law is Word (2)

We live in the greatest country in the world with the greatest opportunities available. Was I brought into this world only to live in a nice house, take nice vacations and sit back and watch American Idol? Have I survived Vietnam and seven major car accidents just to tell great stories? I don't think so.

When I returned home I said to Marilyn that would be easier for us to make millions of dollars to give away then to beg people to contribute; our journey began. January 2006 I joined Enlightened Millionaire Institute with Robert Allen and Mark Victor Hansen. This led to The Enlightened Wealth Week in Dallas last October 2006 where we met two new mentors; Harv Eker and Marshall Sylver.

More consequences;

We attended many weekend events and seminars; MMI, Life directions, Train The Trainer, Seminar of The Century and Warrior Camp. Not to mention the Robert Allen and the Marshall Sylver events in between. By a great margin the largest bonus is each and everyone of you, my friends, that have entered our lives. My friend and partner, John Finn, I met at Life Directions. Many of you have and will continue to have incredible impact in my life. Thank You from the bottom of my heart. These past three years I have met the most wonderful and giving people of my life, I just stood and gave you all a "Standing Ovation", you deserve it.

Continued Consequences

3,655.5 miles (approximately) and about 3,000 with the top down (ooooooh, aaaaaaah, fabulous), 10 states and DC. I returned home in September 2007 from the most remarkable, enlightening and absolutely "Beautiful" road trip of my life. I drove from Maryland through DC, Virginia. Tennessee, Alabama to Biloxi Mississippi to pitch in again. It was great to see the area cleaner, but they still need lots of help. Except for homes it looks as if only about 5% has been rebuilt. The coastline is still a ghost town.

I then drove through Mississippi, Louisiana ( stopped to talk with a Trooper in Baton Rouge about his radar gun) to Dallas, Texas. Enjoyed 2 days at the foot of a "Master", Mr. Jim Rohn. At 77 years young he is still "The Philosopher of Business". He's a combination of Zig Ziglar, Billy Graham and Plato. When I grow up I want to be like Mr. Rohn.

Coming home through Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia was just wonderful. West to east; the rolling hills of Kentucky and the mountains of West Virginia were breath taking. We miss so much on airplanes.

Consequences don't have to be negative.
And I often ponder if I would have not been true to my word, "CW" would still just be plain old Curtis Weaver. A nice guy doing Ok but not going after the things of God. And like a wise man once said; my life would be, "I didn't have ten years experience, I had one years experience repeated ten times."

MY Word Is LAW, be TRUE to yourself, it's LIFE Changing

CW

Keep Your Word, Change Your Life

Your Word is Law

The consequences of keeping your word. Your WORD is LAW!!!!!!!!!

Summer of 2004. Florida was hit by 3 hurricanes in a row. As we watched the events unfold and herd about all the help needed; I said to Marilyn that if I wasn't employed I would go down to Florida and help with the clean up and support those who needed help. A not so bold thing to say since I knew in reality I really couldn't go because of my job.

Six months later, January 2005, I went independent. I continued to do the same job, sell Retractable awnings for Sunair, but as an independent contractor not an employee. There are great tax and freedom benefits to the decision. The 2005 awning season arrived; I had a fabulous year.

August 29, 2005. Katrina crushes the Gulf coast. In the following days I remember sitting and watching the aftermath from the same nice warm couch I sat just a year before; the same vantage point as a year earlier watching Florida. I also remember yelling at the TV, the people in New Orleans to get off their ___ and walk out of the crap and stop waiting for "The Government" to do something. I also recall not hearing much wining and crying from the people in Mississippi which took the total brunt of Katrina storm full force.

My words from a year ago echoed in my head. "If I wasn't employed I would..................help". In reality I wasn't excited by the prospects of going into a complete unknown situation in the midst of storm destruction. But "I said I would help", would I follow through? No one except my wife knew what I had promised. Bottom line is I would have to live with whatever decision I made.

Consequences of keeping your word to "Yourself".

I prepared for about two months for the trip. I raised $6000 (friends and family) to bless those who had a need when I got to Biloxi. Raising money is a pain in the butt, I really don't know how politicians and missionaries do it year after year.

For two weeks over the Thanksgiving holidays I worked in and around the Biloxi area with many volunteers. As we traveled from place to place I was awe struck at the amount of people who had come to help. Church vans and buses, hundreds of trucks with independent contractor signs from all over the country were apparent everywhere. I had come to Biloxi to help people, and I did; and they were extremely thankful.

Consequences.

The people of Biloxi, Mississippi changed my life forever. I went to Biloxi to be a hero and I was humbled by what I witnessed. I went to help and I was helped. In 13 days I heard not one complaint. I listened to many horrific stories and witnessed people living in cars, pick-up trucks or wherever. This is two and a half months after the storm. I remember saying to parents that their children will be stronger than most; when coming on hard times in the future their memory of what they had survived in the Katrina episode would make future adversity seem minor in comparison.

Driving home I remember thinking about 9/11 and Katrina; the similarities, in a matter of hours peoples lives were changed forever by circumstances outside their control. I thought about how
Marilyn and I had been helping people financially for years, but we have always wanted to do more. While coming home I thought why not change our lives "On Purpose", by just making a Decision to do so; not waiting for some outside circumstance like 9/11 or Katrina.

(Continued Tomorrow)

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

Hey;

Sometimes others can tell a story that says it all without need of comment. This is one of those stories.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the was jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "Yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. "Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things--- God, your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions--- and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter-- your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else--- the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Play with your children.

Take time to get medical checkups.

Take your spouse out to dinner.

Play another 18.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand." One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Call someone you've been meaning to call.

Go to dinner with that person or couple you keep saying, "We'll get together for dinner, call me."

Just friggin' do it NOW.

As Always;

CW

Five Days To Motivation

MOTIVATION, THE HEART OF SELF IMPROVEMENT
Day 5

U – Understand others. If you know very well how to talk, you should also learn how to listen. Yearn to understand first, and to be understood the second.

V – Visualize it. Motivation without vision is like a boat on a dry land.

W – Want it more than anything. Dreaming means believing. And to believe is something that is rooted out from the roots of motivation and self improvement.

X – X Factor is what will make you different from the others. When you are motivated, you tend to put on “extras” on your life like extra time for family, extra help at work, extra care for friends, and so on.

Y – You are unique. No one in this world looks, acts, or talks like you. Value your life and existence, because you’re just going to spend it once.

Z – Zero in on your dreams and go for it!!!

Five days of ideas and tips to get you up and get you going towards your dreams. Do yourself a favor and read them over and over again and you will be a positive force to those around you.

CW

Five Days To Motivation

MOTIVATION, THE HEART OF SELF IMPROVEMENT
Day 4

P– Practice makes perfect. Practice is about motivation. It lets us learn repertoire and ways on how can we recover from our mistakes.

Q – Quitters never win. And winners never quit. So, choose your fate – are you going to be a quitter? Or a winner?

R – Ready yourself. Motivation is also about preparation. We must hear the little voice within us telling us to get started before others will get on their feet and try to push us around. Remember, it wasn’t raining when Noah build the ark.

S – Stop procrastinating.

T – Take control of your life. Discipline or self control jives synonymously with motivation. Both are key factors in self improvement.

CW