A Valuable First Thought

This is a day the Lord has made. I shall rejoice and be glad in it!

Psalm 118 : 24

Hello,
My name is Don Pasco and I would like to give you value.

Of course, just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, only you can decide what is valuable to you.

Do you believe that habits have value? I’m sure you’ll agree, we all have habits.

What if you habitually ate only nutritious foods and took a brisk 30 minute walk every day? Do you think those habits would provide any value to your health? … to your appearance?    Of course they would.

What if you habitually started each day by saying the psalm at the top of this page? Do you think that habit would provide any value to your life? … to your attitude?

I say yes and that is the habit I am recommending that you begin to create. Each morning, the very second that you awaken and realize that you’ve been blessed with another day, say this silently to yourself:

“This is a day the Lord has made. I shall rejoice and be glad in it!”

I don’t have any idea how many thoughts any of us typically have in a given day, but I think you’ll agree, that is a great first thought. Begin to train yourself starting tomorrow morning.

Of course you may think of something else that you like better. That’s fine. Use whatever makes the most sense for you. Years ago I heard a recording by Denis Waitley, one of my favorite authors, that made me chuckle. He always says to himself “Safe again Lord! Let’s go!”

At some point in my past, I came to the conclusion that we are all “programmed” (for lack of a better term), and that we are all “reprogramming” or “reinforcing” our previous programming. So this little prayer (or psalm), is an excellent habit to get into.

In a future post I will disclose some other prayers that I have either created or adopted as habits, but for now I’d like to close this post (or page) with a sort of riddle that you may want to share with your loved ones for fun.

Ask them to try and guess the answer before you begin.

Here are the clues!

I am your constant companion.

I am your greatest helper OR heaviest burden.

I will push you onward OR drag you down to failure.

I am completely at your command.

Half the things you do you might just as well turn over to me and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed - you MUST merely be firm with me.

Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of ALL GREAT MEN (and WOMEN); and alas, of ALL FAILURES, as well.

Those who are great, I have made great.

Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a man.

You may run me for a profit OR run me for ruin - it makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet.

Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I?

(Scroll down for answer)

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???

I am habit!

- Anonymous (my favorite author)

P.S. I once heard a story that there was a famous concert pianist who said “If I miss a day of practice, I know it. If I miss a week of practice the critics know it. If I miss a month of practice, the audience knows it.”