Monthly Archives: May 2019

Who is watching you?

Do you remember looking up to someone and wanting to emulate every move they made? I recall one guy that was 3 years older than me. I tried to sound like him, look like him, and he had this awesome haircut I had to have. Yep, Keith White had everything I wanted!

The power of influence is most often overlooked during childhood. I am convinced that the greatest effects are made in shaping 3 to 12 year old kids. They watch our every move and evaluate, “What do the words they say and the things they do mean to me?” Then, from about 8 to 18 years old they have history and outside influences to work with in reaching their determinations. Life gets a little more complex, but they are still watching and forming.

Who is watching you?

Do you consider yourself an “Influencer?” Well, you are! Like it or not, someone is watching. Take a little trip back in your own world and recall some of the influencers that helped shape your thinking, good or bad. What consequences, or rewards, did you reap from that influence? Do those experiences still have an effect on your life today?

Perhaps another question to ask is, “Who are you watching now? At work, or in your circles, who influences you most, and why? Healthy or not-so-much, you need to evaluate relationships and set some beneficial parameters.

Who are you watching?

Tune in to YouTube, and you can find a million coaches or influencers that can show you how to make a million dollars in a millisecond! Since your going to be mega wealthy by next Wednesday, you might as well find out what the rich and famous are doing and wearing. You are going to need to know that stuff, right? We still do it! Have you had a chance to attend a class reunion lately? It is amazing to me how some of the class seem to remain in an almost totally unchanged state, except for weight gain and hair loss! The same things that influenced their lives years ago still has a grip on them. Even after years have passed, the conversation and priorities are still the same for some and 180 degrees different for others. This brings to mind a powerful scripture: Proverbs 23:7 As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

How and what you think actually does set your ways and movements on course. Who you allow to influence your thinking influences your life. Choose wisely who you watch and listen to! Be aware of what you say and do … someone is watching!

Read this and other blog posts on our websites.

www.byfredhughes.com ~ www.decision1.org

photo by teddy-kelley

Unique yet Harmonious

Fred Hughes ~ 9/21/2018

Today’s society sometimes misses some golden opportunities. We seem to have lost the fine art of seeing the uniqueness of the individual and to understand the value of the potential to harmonize and produce something greater than the singular. A fiddle solo or a stringed duet or trio; there is a big difference!

Not everything new is unique, and not everything unique is harmonious. Let’s think about unique, yet harmonious. We are often so focused on our own thing that we fail to see the uniqueness in others. Therefore we rarely consider the harmonious coupling of talents, skills, or creativity that we could be functioning in. There is much being said these days in social media and the new style of corporate enviroment about collaboration. Co-laboring is a step in the right direction, but a collaborative is not always unique or harmonious. The intentionality of union for an expressed purpose is all but absent; we used to call it community! But like so many other English words, “community,” does not carry the same meaning today as it did a few years ago.

Unique – not like all the rest, genuine, original, special, custom-made, real!

The authentic, unique you! How refreshing! Not a copycat of everyone else. Not a cut-and- paste, change a few things, and market it as “your” deal. You are thinking everyone will love it, even though you don’t know if it even works! Instant 7-figures and Kardashian lifestyle! No, the world is not looking for that! They are looking for something real, something special. They are looking for you! The uniquely and totally qualified you! They are looking for someone who has fallen 7 times and got up 8! They are looking for someone who has invested blood, sweat, and tears in order to produce a real solution to real challenges they are facing. That is unique! When they find you and want to harmonize with you, then you have something special!

Harmony ~ Will you sing with them, or will you only solo?

Harmony requires three things: 1) restraint – blending to create a new sound that did not exist and 2) direction – someone has to be the leader that others can follow and harmonize with and 3) sharing — the accolades and the criticism. The fruit is for everyone to enjoy!

You are uniquely qualified to be yourself and harmonize with others! God will bless all you do, if you partner with Him. He is the best of all co-laborers; harmonize with Him first, and the others will hear the sound of authentic, anointed, melodious movement they want to join in with.

Proverbs 21:21 He who pursues righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness and honor.

Deuteronomy 8:18 and you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth…

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.

Read this and other blog posts on our websites.

www.byfredhughes.com ~ www.decision1.org

Good Morning!

There is a brand new day out there that has never been used! A new day is just waiting for you to get out there and do something great with it!

A new day means a new start, a clean slate, yesterday is done! Today is fresh and new! Never start your new day with the busted up pieces of yesterday! God’s mercies are new every morning! A good idea is to start by praising and thanking God for His beautiful gift! Declare, “This is the day that the Lord has made. I will be glad in it!” Now just keep on making it known that you and God plan on making good use of the awesome opportunity of today!

Never start your new day with the busted up pieces of yesterday!

Too many folks miss today by living in the past, or consumed with the future. Today is when everything happens! Today is the day. Now is the time. Live today. Living the now is what makes you successful and not wasteful of the precious day you have right now! Sure you can learn from your yesterdays, and you can plan for your tomorrows, but it will take up some valuable space in your today, so use it wisely! The secret to a great new year, or life, is simply living life in Christ everyday! When you start your day with God, the walk goes the way it should and accomplishes what is good. You will still encounter life along the way. Defeats, disappointments, disapprovals, rejection, shame, sorrows, setbacks all pop up from time to time. You see, that is why you want to start each day reminding yourself who you are in Christ. The truth is: He is the helper that walks with you, the Spirit of Christ, or Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the One who never leaves you or forsakes you! That is why I walk with Him. He is the answer to all those forces that want to oppose me in my great day! In Him I am an overcomer, more than a conqueror, and full of power to do great things in His name.

Good Morning! God is crazy about you!

A new day in Him offers great experiences and expectations as we walk together. Today becomes more productive, because I learn to cast those cares on Him, because He cares for me (and takes care of me). Today as I walk with Him, we may preach the kingdom, heal the sick, cast out devils, even raise the dead, or we may just enjoy watching the kids play and hear the birds sing. When the day is done, I will thank Him for His gift and what we did with it. I will sleep well, get up, and start yet another exciting new day!

This and other post can be found on our websites.

www.decision1.org or www.byfredhughes.com

Grumpy is no one you want around.

Good morning, Grumpy,

This post is for everyone out there who wakes up wearing Grumpy.
Grumpy will run everyone in your life away from you eventually… people who love you may put up with Grumpy for years. Leaders and colleagues not long at all.
Grumpy is all about self.
Grumpy is rude to others.
Grumpy is a really bad habit.

Sometimes you just need a minute to wake up and get that first cup of coffee down… I totally understand, but that’s no excuse for being rude.
A smile (a real one) and a gentle response… “Ok, but first I need to have a few minutes to collect a few thoughts,” or “that is important but could you give me about ten minutes before we tackle that.”
Grumpy is a native attribute of the old man or nature, selfish in every way.
He is quickly overwhelmed by gratitude, thanksgivings or happy.
The only way Grumpy can hangout is if you want him there.
Just remember he will cost you later. Grumpy is a wall builder, a boundary maker, he brings his friends, strife and offended along to help
Grumpy feeds off of fatigue, strife, confusion and offense.

Grumpy can always justify his bad behavior.

“Choose ye this day life or death, blessings or curses” Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Yes, Grumpy is a choice but he is someone no one wants except you. Consider Killing Grumpy before he kills relationships you value.
You can only deal with your grumpy. You cannot fix someone else’s grumpy.
Young’s Literal Translation …Luke 6:45
“The good man out of the good treasure of his heart doth bring forth that which is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart doth bring forth that which is evil; for out of the abounding of the heart doth his mouth speak.”
Grumpy is a heart and mouth connection. Listen to what is coming out of your mouth, if it sounds like grumpy, he is in your heart.

Fred Hughes – 10/15/2018

This and other post can be found on our websites.
www.decision1.org or www.byfredhughes.com