Skip to main content

Standing Strong and Upholding Your Values in Troubling Times

Today I am discussing the importance of standing strong to you values, morals and belief system during times of trouble, struggle and strife.  Unfortunately, we are living in a time of moral, political, faith based and other belief systems that have led to a division among friends, family and co-workers.  I have friends that have different values in all of these areas and still remain friends with them despite the differences of opinion.  We all grow up in different households, build different values and form our own opinions about faith, politics, life and all those other things we see and hear daily.  I have had some very interesting conversations lately with friends over the phone, online and other ways and it amazes me how some people think, have formed an opinion and just are dead set on that being the only way.

I have been told I am hard headed at times and I definitely have a certain opinion about things.  If you read my blog or follow me you may have figured out by now that I am all about faith, family, and friends.  I value those three things more importantly than anything else and those are the foundation which I have built my life upon.  I have began to back off the internet and posting my opinions on sites or forums because it seems like someone always is trying to tell you how to think, act, or believe. We suddenly live in a world where if you disagree with someone then you are wrong, bad, evil, a hypocrite, racist or all the other terms people now use to attack someone with a different opinion from their own.

I formed my value system and belief system from growing up, becoming an adult and living life which taught me what was important to me, my family and how I want to impact the community and live life. I am writing all this to say we as induvial must stand firm in our set of values, beliefs, faith and press forward against the opposition and backlash it may bring.  Take a stand for what you believe, stand firm in it and never ever let someone sway you against those values just to fit in or agree to make head way in life.  The moment we default on our own values and faith is the moment we give into the strife and become part of the problem.  

1- Determine your values and stand strong for them.  

- What is your core set of values

- What drives you daily in lives mission

- Will you stand form for how you think, what you value and accept different thought as opinion (that is all it is).

2- Refrain from telling others how they should think, belief, worship or if you agree or disagree with them.  

- It is your set of values and not theirs

- You cannot change people that do not want to change

- Respect the fact that we are all induvial and will think, act and behave differently

3- Say what you mean and mean what you say. 

- Do not fold, give in or change your values to fit in with groups, people, friends or organizations

- Be open, honest and frank in how you feel.  If people see you are passionate about it they will respect it regardless of agreement

- Stand your ground, hold strong and focus on "you"

4- Be willing to listen to others.

- Listening to them will not kill you

- It may give you an idea of what drives their thought process

- It is a good life skill that we all need in relationships

5- Standing firm shows integrity, discipline, courage, honor, self confidence and many other great traits people want to see in you.

I enjoy a good debate, reading and hearing other peoples opinions, values and what drives them.  But I refuse to give into things I disagree with whole heartedly that will shake my faith, family and friends foundation.  We all make small changes to how we live, think and act as we mature in life.  Bit stand strong, stand firm and never ever let someone else tell you how to think, act or behave. Its your life and you are the one that owns the consequences food or bad for your thoughts, values, actions and behaviors so live it, love it and learn from it.

God Bless!  


faith, family, friends, life

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Polly and Beona- Two Peas in a Pod

Sisterly Love- My mom and her older sister, my Aunt Beona were two of the most wonderful people one could ever know.  My family, immediate friends and so many others were touched by these ladies in so many ways.  Both of these wonderful ladies have went on to be with God and I know they are now watching over their kids, families and others.  They talked everyday on the phone, regardless of what happened or may have come up they spoke everyday.  My mom would call over and ask to speak to Beona and of course, my Uncle Robert would answer the phone and proceed to give her a hard time about calling and pick at her.  Mom loved to talk to Robert and looked forward to giving him a little of his quick wit right back to him on those phone calls.  Robert didn't hear very well so the television would be turned up to about maximum volume if you called or stopped by to visit with them.  You would have to knock on the door several times for him to hear you.  On...
Post a Comment
Click Here for more posts

Sundays At Grandma Smiths

Right After Church- When I was a kid growing up we would all go to church on Sunday and then head straight over to my Grandma Smiths house and spend all afternoon eating lunch, playing outside, watching football and fellowshipping with family and friends.  When I say family and friends, I mean the entire extended family of at least 20-30 people.  My grandparents were not rich so I do not know how they fed all of us every week like that.  We did have some great fresh garden veggies, potatoes and corn that was grown on the property.  It was the coolest place to go and spend time growing up.  We had all the outdoor activity a child or teenager needed.   Summertime Fun And Sports- Summer time was my favorite season as the grass was nice and green and much softer to land on when your cousins and brothers piled on top of you playing tackle football.  Of course, we played with no pads and you got busted up good on most Sundays.  We played every spor...
Post a Comment
Click Here for more posts

Spending Time With God

Do you ever just stop and spend time with God?  I try to pray three times per day morning, noon and night to make sure I speak with God.  Sometimes I fail at that goal because life can get in the way.  The quantity of prayer in my opinion is not greater than the quality.  Doing it three times a day allows me to focus on the things I need guidance on.   Our spiritual needs can change in a minute, an hour or a day.  Give those to Fod and know that he has heard those and will action them for you.  God wants us to spend time with him, seeking his guidance for our lives, relationships and jobs. My favorite way to seek time with God is to go out behind my house and sit near a huge tree in the shade and talk to God.   Maybe you have have your "quiet time" or devotional time or whatever we call it to seek guidance.  When you do seek God do it with conviction, with an open heart, mind and soul.  Do not half heartedly pray for things tha...
Post a Comment
Click Here for more posts

Leaving 2020 and Moving into 2021- My Must Do's

Some of my readers may or may not know that 2020 was a very tough year for me and my family.  I personally have battled heart issues, covid and other sickness since September of 2020.  I had three hospital stays, a couple of real scares as far as living another day and this has took a toll on me mentally, physically and spiritually.  But it did force me to take a hard look at my past, present and future growth in all three of these areas that are required for us to function healthy in life each day.  Taking this hard look will enable me to build a brighter future in all three areas of my existence.  You may not need all three, but for me they go tit for tat and connect the dots of the life style I live.  I must have all three to be strong of mind, body and soul.  Everyone writes a bunch of new year resolutions that they intend to work on for the new year and go flying into the new year all fired up and on a mission.  Then soon, the mission becomes...
Post a Comment
Click Here for more posts

Battling Covid 19

I took a few days off from blogging as I have been recovering from Covid 19 over the Christmas Holidays.  I am writing this to tell my story of the battle I fought with Covid and how it has impacted me and the family this past week and a half.  Since Covid hit we have been very focused on avoiding it the best we could and took precautions to not contract it.  That all changed a week and half ago as we were exposed to someone that did not know they were a carrier and within a few days the wife and I started feeling bad and suspected that we may have contracted it just prior to the Holidays.  It started out like a common cold with runny nose, chest congestion and stomach ache.  We tried for three days to find a testing site close to the house and eventually drove down the road about forty five minutes to be rapid tested.  We were steadily getting sicker and within  a few days of the test we got the results back that we were positive for the virus.  ...
Post a Comment
Click Here for more posts

Five Simple Changes to Kick Start Weight Loss

Today I am writing a quick blog post about simple ideas and changes that will allow you to begin the process of losing a few pounds at a time and getting healthier in 2021. I myself began the process of working on my health and weight back in the middle months of 2020 just prior to getting sick with heart issues and then Covid 19 hit me hard. I had lost about 15 pounds by making some small changes and was beginning to feel the physical effects (positive) of the small weight loss and changes the wife and I had made to our diet plan, exercise routine and activity. When Covid hit me in December of 2020, the weight started flying off literally as I have since dropped about 30 pounds so far and things are starting to level off now as I am healing daily, gaining my appetite back and strength a day at a time. I plan to continue to lose weight, get lean and work on total health in 2021. I am not talking going crazy and becoming a gym rat, just small simple changes that will help me live a ...
Post a Comment
Click Here for more posts

All I Want For Christmas 2020 and Beyond

My wife and I have grown kids and they are always asking us what we want for Christmas.  Many parents out there of grown children can relate to this dilemma and we all probably give the same answer over and over.  We say "I don't know", "I don't want anything", "I don't need anything", or my favorite which is "I just want to be with you on Christmas day".  I sometimes even tell them "my two front teeth" just to get them riled up.  My wife and I are blessed and we really do not have anything on a list that we need.  Heck, we all have online ordering and next day delivery for all those things we want to buy.  I wrote yesterday about A Covid Christmas which is what we are celebrating this year as we all have Covid and are separated for the Holidays.   We all have family traditions like gathering, eating, fellowshipping and sharing gifts with family and friends.  For years we have always opened one present Christmas eve as a fa...
Post a Comment
Click Here for more posts

Covid Christmas 2020

This week my wife and I tested positive for the Covid 19 virus and are locked down at home for the Christmas Holidays.  We have been very careful to avoid people, mostly staying at home and using proper protective measures for months.  Our oldest daughter has it also and is stuck in Florida for the Holidays, while our youngest daughter is finishing up her covid lockdown from being positive a few weeks ago.  We have called all the family to advise that we cannot meet with them on Christmas day to eat breakfast, open presents, fellowship and most importantly celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.   This however does not mean that Christmas cannot be just as special because we will get together in a week or so when everything clears up and everyone is well enough to be safe to gather.  This Christmas will be unlike any we have ever experienced with covid lockdowns, infection rates spiking and the need to being safer than ever.  People ar...
Post a Comment
Click Here for more posts

If I Could Be Twenty Again- Seven Things I Would Have Done Different

Today I am writing about seven things that I look back on that I should have done a bit different when I was twenty.  Thirty four years later I have learned many lessons in life and am grateful for those lessons.  Setbacks, disappointments, tragedies, and unexpected life events allow us to grow and become who we are.  These events give us wisdom to share with our children and the next generation.  These events make us tough skinned and give us direction to overcome obstacles.  I am mostly satisfied with the way things have worked out so far, but looking back I now see doing these may have opened doors for me, my family and prepared me for life as an adult. 1- Get rid of toxic people- We all have family, friends and co-workers that we know are energy vampires.  We do not look forward to being around them or hanging out with them.  These negative people drain you and will hold you back with their poor pitiful me routine.  Get rid of them, see them l...
Post a Comment
Click Here for more posts

Fight, Fight, Fight- The Covid Battle

  2020 was a tough year for me physically as I was faced with multiple health conditions that truly tested my physical, mental and spiritual durability. As the year wound down along came the COVID 19 virus and it took major hold on me attacking my health, lungs and body. The biggest challenge was mentally as the virus took its toll on my breathing, energy levels and the other problems it created. It eventually becomes a mental battle when your energy levels are squashed and it wears you out just to take a bath, dress or walk into the kitchen. We got sick about a week before Christmas Day and things escalated from there quickly. COVID started out slow but began to roll along and challenged my health quickly. Next thing you know, I am in the hospital like many people have been fighting for my health and future. As a career coach and teacher I have always spoken to my student athletes about being a fighter and suddenly I had to stand to my own words and fight. And a fight it ha...
Post a Comment
Click Here for more posts