Calendar Books by Allen James - Daily Reading - "A Teacher's Daily Guide to Success"

For December 30th, from Allen James', "A Teacher's Daily Guide to Success" we read;

"Practice what you preach; don't just talk the talk, walk the walk".  Allen James

I was listening to a radio program last night while I was traveling back from my sister's house in Illinois, where I had a wonderful time visiting family and sharing quality time with Sandra (I hadn't seen her in as many months and desperately needed my "Sister" fix); and the guest was Bob Welch, the author of "52 Little Lessons from It's a Wonderful Life".  Although I've not seen the movie in several years, the movie is forever etched into most of our minds.  However; Bob Welch has obviously viewed the movie many more time than I, for he has extracted the book by the same name life lessons which each of us can gain from.

Toward the end of the program, he noted how the main message of the book and movie is how material possessions mean nothing when looking at the big picture, but what really matters are the relationships we cultivate throughout our lives, and however small the interactions we may have with others may seem to us, they are life changing to those with whom we have effected.

How easy it is to get caught up in today's culture of having things and thinking we must "show" how worthy we are by those things we have.  He mentioned how he had spent the day at a book event with 70 other authors signing their books and on his way home obsessed over either how many of the hundreds of people at the event stopped by his table and bought on of his signed books, or how many walked on by and didn't purchase his book.  Yet upon returning home his grandchildren were there as his wife was babysitting them for the night.  As he was handed his 8 month old grandbaby, who was very agitated at the time, within 5 minutes the infant was asleep and happy in his grandfather's arms.  Mr. Welch sat and held him for 2 hours, just looking at him in awe at the miracle he held in his arms.

Like Mr. Welch, as I sat in church beside my sister yesterday, who was minding her grandbaby, Liam, while his mother minded their 2 year old "busy" daughter elsewhere in the congregation, I got a surprise.  Sandra was called by the pastor to come up and prepare to sing a song.  Naturally Sandra and I turned to each other, but without reservation I reached over to take Liam from her arms so she could make her way to the pulpit.  Throughout the 20 minutes I sat and held that baby, I too was held in awe at the bundle on my shoulder.  Having never had children and being "Uncle Jimmy" for all my adult years, I seldom have found myself with a baby in my arms and resting on my shoulder. 

I write daily about the daily readings which I have placed on the pages of "Calendar Books by Allen James", yet yesterday I was reminded of how important those daily readings are to me to live as well as write down on pages to hopefully be meaningful to others. Cultivating relationships IS what matters.  Human interaction IS what matters.  Connecting with other like individuals IS what matters. 

Practice what you preach; don't just talk the talk, walk the walk; and always keep looking up.  :) AJ