As we celebrate Thanksgiving, think about the word itself. Oxford Dictionaries defines “thanksgiving” as “an expression of gratitude, especially to God.” The brilliance of thanksgiving is the therapeutic benefits of expressing our gratitude! Psychology Today posted an article on seven scientifically proven benefits of gratitude. These include: Gratitude opens the door to more relationships Gratitude improves physical health Gratitude improves ...
When I was a child, September was a big month. In our immediate family there were three of us with September birthdays. A birthday is one of the few times in the year to help someone feel special. Holidays are celebrated by all, but a birthday is an opportunity to be personally recognized. Many insurance practices have been built on ...
According to David Blight’s book, “Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory,” May 1, 1865 was the first Memorial Day. On that date, 10,000 people gathered in Charleston, South Carolina, mostly freedmen, to honor those Civil War soldiers who died to free them from slavery. Blight wrote, “African Americans invented Memorial Day in Charleston, South Carolina. What you ...
Most organizations have a few star performers that get all the accolades; from clients, from leadership, or from their teammates. But a company’s success doesn’t come from a single star player; it comes from the entire team. To remain competitive in your field, it is vital that accolades are shared across every team member, recognizing that each person brings a ...
When President Trump signed the recent tax reform bill, many businesses had an immediate response. Some gave bonuses or raises to their employees, some donated millions to charity, and some businesses passed it along to shareholders. Most of us will also receive a windfall this month in our paycheck. With a windfall, we have a choice as to how we ...
Two researchers from Harvard Business school reported in the Wall Street Journal about a study they completed on “happiness.” According to Grant Donnelly and Michael Norton, their study focused specifically on wealth and happiness in millionaires. They surveyed over 4,000 millionaires to determine if increased wealth brings happiness and if their happiness was impacted by whether the wealth was earned ...
Years ago, Matt told me he wanted to make a year-end gift to Integrity Resource Center, but he needed to sell some stock first. I asked Matt if the stock had increased enough to be taxable. When he replied, “Yes,” I urged Matt not to sell the stock, but instead to donate it directly to the ministry. This strategy allowed ...
On Thanksgiving Day, the race for buying Christmas presents began. Black Friday amplified the season, Small Business Saturday tried to grab their fair share and Cyber Monday took it online. In addition to the Christmas buying season, there’s another important season: the Year End Giving season. Today is officially Giving Tuesday, but a John Templeton Foundation survey in 2015 discovered ...
Thanksgiving was originally designed to celebrate the fall harvest. Months after the farmer’s seeds are sown, there are no guarantees as to how big the harvest will be, or what price the crops will bring. So, when harvest time finally comes, the result is a reminder of God’s sovereignty and provision. For any farmer who has ever lost an entire ...
Recently, at a Casey’s General Store, my wife, Kathy, stopped a young man in an Army uniform and thanked him for his service, then paid for his gas! Kathy then asked this soldier if he’s often thanked for his military service. This polite soldier simply said, “No ma’am.” The lady in front of me then turned and thanked this soldier, ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
