Why do I choose this topic?

Because each of us has a fear or fears that we have carried around all our lives.

There may be some fears that are not worth overcoming.

But, there are others that are preventing you from doing something important.

Make a list of the pros & cons of facing one of your fears.

After evaluating the do’s & don’ts, is it still worth doing?

How do you rid yourself of a fear?

Only answer: Go out and do the very thing you are afraid of.

You will experience a great relief.

Facing a nagging fear is a very satisfying act of self-liberation!

If not today, when?

Diet companies or wellness influencers might suggest individuals should feel bad for falling off the wagon, but nutrition science is clear:

“It’s not your fault,” said registered dietitian Shana Minei Spence, who writes The Nutrition Tea newsletter.

Many people are unlikely to stick with a diet not because of some personal failing but simply “because we are human,” she added.

When we put a lot of focus and effort into not eating something, Markey said, our brains spend a lot of time thinking about that off-limits food.

This makes us even more likely to be drawn to that very thing.

The phenomenon, known in psychology as “ironic processing,” explains why the more control we try to place over food, the more it can end up controlling us.

The pressure around January resolutions leads many people to set unrealistic goals from the start, something Spence has observed:

“Instead of making small little changes, we want to completely revamp how we eat, and this has what’s called a forbidden fruit effect.” (CNN)

I chose the above point-of-view for your consideration.

My parents never said, “I love you” to us.

It just wasn’t done in those days.

We all knew our parents loved us unconditionally.

They put their love of us into deeds, not words.

How about you?

Do you tell your spouse and kids, “I Love You”?

It is not good enough to say, “My spouse/kids know I love them.”

If it is difficult for you to say it out loud, practice ahead of time.

The more you say it, the more natural it becomes.

Don’t use the excuses of the past. Your loved ones need to hear it from you.

If you are lucky, you may hear those words come back to you!

The lady who cleans your house.

The guy who packs your groceries.

The man who takes payment for your carwash.

The gal loading the shelves at the drug store.

The bus boys at the restaurant.

The person at the post office window.

The stock person in the department store.

Those people are worthy of your notice and appreciation!

If not today, when?

Tired of sitting at that desk all day long?

Turns out it’s not good for your health, either, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.

People who predominantly sit at work have a 34% higher risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease.

To counteract the increased risk, individuals who sit a lot at work would have to engage in an additional 15 to 30 minutes of physical activity per day.

The simplest form of exercise is uninterrupted walking.

This would reduce the risk to that of individuals who do not predominantly sit, researchers estimated. (CNN)

Do this simple form of exercise!

If not today, when?

This story comes from Philadelphia.

A homeowner began noticing that her dog was busy digging holes in her backyard.

She had owned the dog for many years and digging holes was new.

The day came when the digging stopped and the dog was standing over the last hole.

As the homeowner approached, she could smell gas.

Yep, there was a gas leak.

The gas repair men told her that eventually her house would have blown up.

Thank God for dogs!

Let them dig!

If not today, when?

He was an American soldier who was Honorably Discharged from the U.S. Army.

When the Ukrainian War came along, he volunteered.

While fighting on the front lines against Russian troops, he was wounded.

I heard his interview on National Public Radio this morning.

The interviewer asked him why he volunteered, he said “It was a simple case of GOOD vs. EVIL.”

Again, the interviewer said, “You could have sent a donation or written to your Congressman.

Why did you have to go and fight?” He replied, “Because that’s what I was trained to do!”

Over 30 American volunteers have died on the Ukrainian battlefields fighting the EVIL of Russian aggression.

WHAT WOULD YOU FIGHT FOR?

If not today, when?

Your values or lack thereof are passed on to your kids.

They are constantly learning what you think is important or not important.

They always observe how you and your spouse treat each other.

They observe your behavior when you are angry.

They experience your form of discipline.

As they approach adulthood, they will practice what they learned from you.

Good or bad, they are what you leave behind, your legacy.

Will your efforts as spouse & parent leave the world a better place?

(By Katie Hawkins-Gaar, CNN)

How often do you accomplish annual resolutions?

Do you even set a goal that is 365 days away?

How about setting a goal every Sunday?

But, don’t call it a resolution. Call it a weekly intention.

When Sunday comes along, review the past week.

Did you accomplish last week’s intention?

What will you set for the coming week?

Should you have a partner?

A weekly intention keeps you focused.

It might be right for you!

If not today, when?

Today is Sunday!

Several years ago, our neighbor lost her husband in a plane crash. The next morning she said, “I wish I could bring back yesterday.”

We all know we can’t bring time back and we cannot wish it forward.

That’s the way our lives have been designed.

And maybe that is for the best.

We are forced to live one day at a time. The Bible says, “Today has enough problems of its own.”

So we must live in the present and put our entire effort into making it the best we can.

It doesn’t mean we can’t plan, but our future is not guaranteed.

So just deal with today and do the best you can. That is all God expects.