“A man is but the product of his thoughts, what he
thinks he becomes”.
- Mahatma Gandhi
Until recently we didn’t
begin to understand the effect of a child’s growing up on him, thanks to
Pediatric Psychologists. By omission or commission Jacob who was Joseph’s
father had spent seventeen years programming his son for success. The coat of
many colours made for him was worn by princes and princesses. Joseph grew up
mimicking princes for life in the palace. No wonder he ended up there.
Your growing up years
prepared you for your future. Whether positively or negatively, your
experiences and exposures – affluence and royalty or was it deprivation and
mediocrity fashion you for today’s
manifestations.
Begin to consciously do
things, go to places and associate with people who will program your mind for
promotion and enlargement. He that walks with the wise shall be wise so, make
deliberate efforts to walk with corporate executives. Seek out mentors and
friends in them, hang around them and you will find yourself begin to attract
the same fortunes like they are.
It’s really all about your
attraction – you attract what you are and you are what you imbibe. Deliberately
expose your mind to life changing books, seminars, courses and conferences –
they’ll improve the quality of your mind. Before you know it you are attracting
a better quality and a higher value to your life. Keep this in mind, it’s the
things you do to improve your heart and mind outside of your work hours that
add more to your career, than the routine eight hours you put into doing the
job.
INSPIRATION
The Trees That Wood
Once there were three
trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when
the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be
filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate
carving and everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree
said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens
across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe
in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree
said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the
forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and
think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the
greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of
praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the
trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong
tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he
began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter
would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree a
woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it
to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his
way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came
upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut
him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I
don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he
cut it down.
When the first tree
arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then
placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed
for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of
being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was
cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the
trees forgot about their dreams.
Then one day, a man and
woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in
the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could
have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could
feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest
treasure of all time. Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made
from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were
out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong
enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and
said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that
it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came
and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked
the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to
the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came,
the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the
hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified
on it.
Each of
the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't
always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our
ways, but His ways are always best.
