Author: Wick

It’s not often that I post more than once in a short amount of time. But as I stated in a recent blog, I travel alone a lot, and am often afraid that at any moment I will lose this ability to think. So here you go…

I’ve discovered two helpful habits that will improve your life greatly both today, and with anticipation for tomorrow. I believe that if you take this advice to heart, and begin to let it affect your life…you will live better. No joke. I guarantee it.

First: The Transitional Gum.

After a meal, it is common for someone to ask for a piece of gum. This is mainly to rid ourselves of the bi-products of halitosis what we’ve eaten offers to us. (to get rid of bad breath) But may also be due to our oral fixation, and need to always be doing something, if you’re like me. In either case, I’ve found a way to improve the overall post-meal gum chewing experience: The Transitional Gum
Most of us who ask for gum after a meal, have already been chewing gum before the meal also. When you sit down for a bite to eat, instead of swallowing, throwing away, or wrapping your gum in your napkin…set it on your plate, off to the side to prevent accidental inclusion in your meal. (Be sure not to place it on a soup bowl, bread or salad plate, as these are often removed without warning by the servers.) Once you’ve finished your meal, recover your pre-chewed gum, and begin chewing.
Remember how to clean up after using play-dough? You take a large piece, and stamp it around where the pieces lay; it absorbs and cleans up the area. This is the idea behind the Transitional Gum. It will absorb any bits of food, and the full brunt of your bad breath, leaving only small amounts of either behind. After you’ve chewed this Transitional Gum for several minutes at least, and feel it has absorbed as much as possible; get rid of it. Now your mouth is ready for a fresh piece of gum, that will last you as long as it was intended. Your gum chewing experience will be an altogether better experience if you become purposeful about it.

Second: The Happy Old Man/Woman Face

I’m sure that I’m not the only one who knows a person over 65 who you either love to be around, or are afraid of; simply because of the expression that is forever imprinted on their face. What most of us don’t take the time to realize is the fact that those faces didn’t just “happen”. They were developed over time. Years and years of practiced smiling or grimacing that gives people over a certain age a permanent face of joy or suffering.
With any truth, when we are faced with it, our lives change. When faced with the reality that right now, we are forming the faces we will have when we’re 70, we are moved to action. Do you want to infect the nurses at the home with your overwhelming joy? Or do you want to scare all the little kids at family reunions?
Me? I want to have a Happy Old Man face that people can’t resist but smiling back at. When I’m so old I can’t talk, walk, or wipe myself….I want people to look at me, and think….man, he must have lived a happy life. What a nice old man he is. As opposed to, “I wonder if he needs to go to the bathroom.”
Smile often, and smile big. Your face will freeze that way ultimately.

So there you go. Practical and true. Free of charge. Thanks for listening.

(and remember to jiggle the handle)

WICK <

Okay, so here is a post I’ve been thinking about/noticing for at least a week now, but probably even longer…

It’s a problem that’s occured most obviously in the business world, but I believe spills into our personal, every day social atmospheres as well. This will probably not come as a shock. The previous sentence should come as a shock.

We are increasingly impersonal.

Two words I’ve used myself this past week have made me realize how much this affects each of us. Here they are…

Remember when someone did something nice to you? Your reply was probably “thank you”. A sign of gratitude directed right to a person…YOU. Thanking that person in particular for what they had done for YOU. An interaction between two “you”‘s. This past week, I caught myself saying “I appreciate it”. What’s the deal with that? Where did I pick that up? I’m pretty sure I picked it up in the business world, where nothing is personal….but unfortunately, the mentality seeps into my every day. When we use this phrase, it’s no longer an interaction between 2 people. We’re not thankful for the person who did this or that. We’re thankful instead for the actual “thing” that was done. I apologize if you’ve done something for me recently, and I said “I appreciate it.” What I really meant was: thank YOU. If you hear me slip up, slap me.

There’s a second area, if the first didn’t seem to phase you. How about the opposite? When someone offends you, or hurts your feelings? We see this not only in our own lives, but all over the news lately. How often do you hear “I’m sorry”? If you hear it, you’re lucky. The popular way to apologize these days is: “I apologize”. Same problem here….I apologize is a disconnected way to say “that thing that happened….oops”. “I’m sorry” is far too hard to say for most of us…why? Because it speaks humility. It always has. It’s supposed to. And let’s face it…we’re not very good at being humble people.

Anyways….these may seem like petty words, and you may think I’ve overanalyzed the topic….I probably have. I mean…most of my days are spent driving from one location to the next, so I have a lot of time to think about the interactions I have with these people. Deal with it. 🙂 I didn’t make you read this. 🙂 hehe

Seriously though….think about the little things this week. Say thank YOU. Say I am sorry. Be personal with people, even with they try to keep their wall up. You may offend some. You may scare some. But you also may connect with some.

Christ came that we may have life to it’s fullest….which includes our relationships with each other. In the words of DC Talk,

“we’re in the same crew, we’re singin’ one song……so we’re tearin’ down the walls”

Peace. <

God is good.

People are so different.

Always remember the person you meet, the person you look at, the person you cut off on the road…may be interpreting your character. You are being watched. People are interpreting who you are by your words….your actions…your responses…your love?

I can’t begin to count the number of people, God-loving people, who have talked/responded/reacted/etc…in ways that I’m not sure Christ would be proud of. I’m not perfect….I definitely do not always act/talk/respond in ways that God would prefer. I’m trying.

That salesperson that calls you. That person who walks through your office door, or who knocks on your door, or calls you during dinner, or tries to sell you a car, or tries to help you at the store…….they pay attention to your response to everything.

Church’s……are your secretaries representing you well? Even to the people you don’t “invite” into the church?

Businesses……do you realize the people you do business with are souls?

Co-workers…..are you conscious of the fact that you work with living, breathing, life-pursuing beings?

Chadwick….am I living well?

It’s a wonder how often we live disconnected from the world, each other, and even our own spiritual selves. How powerful it is to realize on a consistent basis….how interconnected everything is.

Think about this past week. Think about the person that you didn’t want to talk to….that tried to converse with you. Think about that person you paid no attention to as you cut them off in traffic. Think about that parking spot you took. Think about the shopping cart you cut around to save 2 minutes.

Friends…the world is paying attention.

Have you served the world this past week?

Will you serve Christ this coming week?

Live well.

Breathe Slow.

(and jiggle the handle)