Well I guess I wrote about hard work eh?

Soooo, what to write what to write.

I want to talk about blessings and being blessed.  I feel that far too often people always put blessed and financial blessings hand in hand.  I feel that is a mistake.  Yes you can be blessed in your finances, but it is foolish to only assume that is where blessing comes in.  If you do so, you are missing what blessing is. 

I am blessed to be born into America, into a God fearing family, into a family that prides ourselves on hard work.  Some might think that having your first summer job when you are 14 is anything but a blessing, I disagree.  I am very grateful that both parents had to get where they are at by hard work, and then passed that on to their boys.  I often look around my work setting and wonder why so many people are afraid to work hard, to only put the minimum amount of work in and when asked more throw a hissy fit and say "what about so and so".  I've had to put in 14 hours before of throwing 42,000 lbs of freight in about 6 hours.  Did I like it, yes I did, it felt good when my arms were jello!  There is something about hard work that makes you feel like you are truly living.  There is something about the feeling of when the occasion calls for it, do you step up or strike out and head back to the bench to goof off. 

Why as a society do we like to find easy ways out, to do as little as possible and get by?  This is anything but biblical and just plain ol' right.  I believe part of the problem is how you are raised.  Are you raised to know the value of hard work, or raised to do as little as possible.  Were you encouraged to work some manual labor growing up to know how to work hard, but also instill a drive in you to work hard so you will not always have to be a grunt?  As a society do we appreciate those who work hard?  Do we praise those for a job well done with genuine thanks?  I cannot say this enough, do you appreciate those who work hard for others gain, truly thank others and their hard work.  There is a mantra that I hear at my work place..."thanks for all you do"...really?  What exactly did I do?  Now there is nothing wrong with saying this as long as we keep in mind we must also specifically thank others for a specific job accomplished.  Do we pay attention to others and the work they put into it?  If not it promotes a sense of, do as little as possible because nobody notices.  That is not biblical, but that is a mindset I have to fight off every once in a while or two.  Why do I fight that off, because I was blessed to be born into a family that values others and the work they do.  People, look around and assess your situation, do you truly thank people from your heart, or because of image?  I challenge everyone to praise others, build them up.  This will encourage people to work hard because they know that it is valued, that they are valued, that they and their work is validated.

Well I guess I wrote about hard work eh?

You are blessed to know what hard work is and step up instead of point elsewhere.  You are blessed to have a drive for excellence.  You will be blessed if you strive for excellence, in all facets.

You have the opportunity to bless others through words that are encouraging, and grateful for hard work.  When given that chance do you step up and and do it, or do you choose not to?  When you have the opportunity do you step up and help change the society of "me", do you help step up and promote a culture of gratitude or "me".  Do you step up and do what is right by encouraging others, or will you turn a blind eye and help create a culture of division and finger pionting?

It is what it is, and this be it