What I Learned in 2014

On Health…our bodies and minds are so fragile. No matter what I do,
 good health is not a guarantee. 
On Parenthood…I don’t have to make my children love and respect me. 
My job is to love them with all my heart and respect them enough to let 
them make their own choices—carefully guiding them in a way that is 
unobtrusive. 
On Marriage…Allison and I are a team. We have the burden and joy of
 communicating with one another and making every decision together. 
On Cars…they break. We have to fix them. It usually costs a lot of money.
On Money…It comes and it goes. When I have more, I am not happier; when I
 have less, I am not less happy. Although, I usually am more comfortable
 with more money. Therefore, comfort does not equal happiness. 
On Teaching…Whether it is teaching music at school or home, or helping
 people to walk closer with Christ, I can only effectively teach 
what I am experiencing firsthand. 
On Family…If ever they annoy or bother me, it is because I need an 
attitude change. The people closest to me are the most valuable treasure 
that I can have. 
On Love…Everything I have ever said or done has been motivated by one of
 two things: 1) Loving God, or 2) Loving myself—even loving other people. 
On God…He alone gives a peace that surpasses my understanding and my
 ability to gain/bring peace. 
On This World…It is a temporary dwelling place—like a tent—meant to get
 us to a permanent home. 
On Life…True life is a gift from God, and He is offering it to
 everybody. It is also something I have to choose to participate in every day. 
On Patience…Refrain from saying certain things, and people will 
think you are patient. Maybe the Lord is working on me, too… 
On Joy…The kind of happiness written about in “On Money…” 
is probably more like joy. I can experience the joy of the Lord even when
 everything I have is being taken away. Joy can’t be taken from me 
because the hope of being with the Lord is a sure thing. 
In short, I have learned that I need Christ 
more than I thought I ever did; how much He loves me; 
and that the hope of being with Him in His kingdom is a sure thing.