Go Big or Go Home OR Little is Much When God is in it?

Today, BIG everything seems like such a BIG deal. Just go into a 7-Eleven store in Texas and they’ve got the Super "Big Gulp" Drinks, Oklahomans have Quik Trip where the drinks are the "BIG Q" drinks. Go into some fast food restaurant and we’re invited to SUPER SIZE our fries and drinks. There are those who drive a BIG hummer to let folks know who the BIG BOSS is. In all those cases, those folks believe “Bigger is better”.

There’s the BIG expression “Go Big or Go Home” – meaning “be extravagant or do whatever you are doing to its fullest!”

But this post isn’t about BIGGER being better….it’s about the LITTLE THINGS that really matter. Remember “little” David taking care of his sheep? All his BIG brothers – armored and trained for battle – couldn’t defeat the Philistines, but “little” David armored only with his faith and trust in God, his stones and a sling – took down the BIG GULP giant. That time “Bigger is Better” and “Go Big or Go Home” sure didn’t matter.

I heard about a major power outage that affected millions of people in Arizona, California and Mexico. Two nuclear reactors were temporarily shut down. Traffic backed up for miles all over the area. Cars collided as frustrated drivers navigated without traffic signals. Airports were shut down, stranding passengers. Happening on an incredibly hot, triple-digit-temperature September day, the power outage knocked out air conditioning. It left people stuck in elevators. San Diego beaches were closed when almost two million gallons of raw sewage spilled, a result of the water pumps failure at the regional station. The failure continued to wreak havoc days after it was resolved.

Why did all of this happen? It turns out that one person’s undeliberate actions somehow tripped a switch in southwest Arizona. One little thing that mattered. One person unintentionally caused chaos for millions of people. It had the ripple effect.

And what about that little "unintentional" remark we say carelessly to someone that causes their day to crash and causes them to implode because of rejection, misunderstanding and disappointment. We think it’s the BIG things that matter, but not so when it comes to what matters most. Our actions do make a difference. And, conversely, it is possible that the encouraging words we said to someone about a job well done made a difference in their day and their family’s day, because they came home feeling esteemed and valued and they, in turn, made their family feel esteemed and valued. Shoveling snow from a neighbor’s walkway may have started a “pay it forward” line of thinking. Even the smallest actions can cause unbelievable good or wreak havoc in unintended ways. Like that employee that caused all the havoc in Arizona, we can make havoc or make for peace and joy in someone’s life. We can make a difference.

Luke 16:10 “Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones.” The little things of life is where integrity shows up – often in the stuff that no one sees, in the stuff behind the scenes. In the small, unseen, unspectacular choies of life where we do the right thing even when no one ever sees it.

Big OR small.....may our hearts be opened to the potential to be used as a "ripple effect" of love, joy, peace, and comfort to our world.

Blessing or Curse?

I'll admit I was quite amped up with excitement when I saw gas prices yesterday (Kum n Go was $1.43/gal and Sam's Club -- where I purchased -- was $1.38/gal).   Though my car wasn't on empty, I filled it up just in case that number changes today.  A few months ago, when I posted about the low gas prices, a friend of mine commented "what a shame that so many people in the gas & oil businesses are losing their jobs and are suffering because of those low prices".  I think I replied "Let's keep them in our prayers."

I heard a sermon last week about this scenario and it was coupled with the craziness of the torrential rainfall in the Texas area, especially when it has usually been drought conditions.  The pastor said that Texas has received history-making downpours of rain.  I reminder last summer how my kids' neighborhood in Texas was under water restrictions -- no watering their lawns, washing cars, etc.

Think about it....when it rains so much, we are happy that our lakes and rivers are filled, our lawns are watered, farmers are ecstatic that their crops are getting the moisture they need to produce a healthy harvest.  But at the same time, there are people that are quite dismayed that their work depends on "no rain" -- building contractors, landscapers, road construction workers, painters, etc.

Plummeting gas prices means winning at the gas pump for us, but the obvious losers are energy companies and their employees.  There are winners and losers in the continued decline in the price of oil. The obvious winners are consumers at the gas pump. The obvious losers are energy companies. And it will have a ripple effect on other industries.  The same with the weather.....building costs and other industries will sky rocket if the workers can't work.

So REALLY, who are the big winners -- regardless of what the weather or the economy and our future holds?  I don't profess to know the answers, but I DO KNOW the ONE who does, and He gave us His Word to guide us.  Take hold of His promises....and, for sure, our future is so bright, we need shades!

Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

1 Peter 5:7 "Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you."

Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Proverbs 3:5-6  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Prime THAT Pump

See that pump in the middle of our Solavei leaders and Tom Ziglar? That's the pump used by Zig Ziglar as he gave his memorable "pump illustration". I'll never forget watching him, time and time again, share the story about having to put something in, to get something out, and each time it stirred me to action. He said, "You must prime the pump and pump very hard before you start getting water. Then the pumping becomes easier." The reality is...in life, relationships and business.....you must put something in, before you get something out. Zig would go on to say, "Regardless of what you are doing, if you pump long enough, hard enough and enthusiastically enough, sooner or later the effort will bring forth the reward.”

I watched history being made last night. Not only was an awesome path for success, growth, and increased blessings revealed for our Solavei family, but the "It's Happening" webcast taking place at Zig Ziglar's headquarters in Texas caused this Mama to "have her moments"! As Zig's son, Tom Ziglar, who is carrying his father's legacy on, watched our live webcast, I thought about the legacy of success that Zig Ziglar had and the influence of his life on ours, and how the indelible print of success will carry on in Solavei. That's a perfect example of the ripple effect or the butterfly effect.that can take place when we realize that WE MATTER and we can make a difference!

I was so deeply moved as I thought about Zig and my Honey looking on, and cheering us on, from heaven's grandstands. Every room in that complex represents a man who made the difference in millions of people's lives, including our family's. His trainings, philosophies, principles for success in business and life -- and his friendship with our family, sincerely impacted the people we are today -- optimistic, relentless work ethics and audacious determination to succeed at whatever we put our hands and hearts to.

I'm so excited about the future for all of us in Solavei -- history was made two years ago, and today we will continue to make history that will MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN MILLIONS OF PEOPLE'S LIVES. It will be -- after all we're "priming the pump"! . Enjoy this clip where Zig explained "Priming the Pump"!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCYokEMBHJs — with Staci Wallace and 11 others at Zig Ziglar Corp.