It is unusual for a damaged or broken relationship ever to be 100% the fault of only one of the parties involved. This is a significant way in which “people” forgiveness differs from the forgiveness poured upon us from the divine.  God has done nothing wrong, nor has He ever.  He is not to blame for the foolish decision and actions that we choose to do or consequences that we have placed ourselves under.

However, when we sense hurt, emotions are singed, damage is done and a relationship is broken, both parties have usually contributed to the blunder, even if one of them is more to blame than the other.  Try to see your part in the hurt.  Ask yourself in what ways you were a contributor for the cause of the damage. Is it something you said or did? Something you didn’t say or do? An expression though your body language or the tone of your voice? The words that came off the tip of your tongue? Did your attitude, ego, or personal pride get in the way?  Figure it out.

There are times when we are incapable of forgiving the other person because we are embarrassed and self-conscious to face up to our partial responsibility for the hurt.  It’s easier for us to blame the other person and seek sympathy for ourselves from friends than to recognize our own role in the breakdown. 

For forgiveness to be effective, and for relationships to be restored, we need to take ownership of our part, claim it, and deal with it, however large or small the infraction may be. It is time to put things behind us once and for all.

Dr. Marc, PS 63:7

Confident, fair, brave, attentive, determined, responsible, efficient, conscientious, faithful, impartial, grateful, logical, tolerant, happy, affectionate, captivating, imaginative, charming, gentle, obliging, hospitable, brilliant, easy going, candid, sharp, mature, rational, courageous, fierce, ambitious, industrious, diligent, healthy, cautious, honest, intellectual, giving, eloquent, loyal, capable, loving, enthusiastic, friendly, adventurous, generous, compassionate, amiable, loving, helpful, expert, hopeful, excited, clever, religious, gentle, energetic, trusting, cautious, encouraging, cultured, humorous, charismatic, apologetic, dependable, honest, innocent, and polite.

Which of the above positive character traits do you possess?

Dr. Marc, PS 63:7

It is to be expected that, with the passing of time and the growth of familiarity, a marriage will start to lose it initial sparkle and intensity.  Glances, eye contact, aromas, tender touches no longer bring into being the same emotional response that once occurred.  Quarrels, differences of opinion, opposite interest and pressures may creep in, causing you to lose your affection toward your spouse. 

The world is not a sanctuary for lovers.  In fact, outside stress often works against the marriage relationship.  But spouses can learn to be a place of safety for each other.  If intimacy and passion decline, remember that they can be renewed and regenerated. 

Take time to remember the heartfelt commitment you made, those first joys, the excitement of anticipation, and your spouse’s strengths.  When you focus on the positives, resolution and renewal can result.

Dr. Marc, PS 63:7

For a society to endure it needs prudent, well-versed leaders; and these are not easy to find.  It is simple to find leaders who go along with “indiscretions” or moral decay, but a decadent nation cannot survive for long.  There is not a day that goes by that a person of esteem, of status, of privilege doesn’t fall from grace.

Each person’s self-centeredness quickly affects others.  A selfish worker who steals from his company ruins its productivity.  A selfish driver who drinks before sitting behind the steering wheel makes the city, county and state highways unsafe.  A selfish spouse who has an adulterous affair often breaks up several families.  When people live for themselves, focusing on their own best interest with little concern for how their actions affect others, the resulting moral decay contaminates the entire nation. 

Are you part of the problem or the solution?

The qualities of a good citizen are made up of numerous character traits. Which of the following do you possess?

1. takes on personal responsibility
2. truthful and trust worthy
3. values of the law
4. community focused
5. fights for the under-privileged
6. sympathetic for the needy
7. a supporter of positive change
8. contributor to society
9. defends the rights of others
10. compassionate for the neglected
11. displays tolerance towards others
12. self controlled and disciplined
13. takes on personal accountability
14. extends common courtesies
15. respects authority
16. has depth in moral courage
17. is anchored spiritually

Dr. Marc, PS 63:7

Opportunities to do good usually come to us in the form of choices to be made.

Dr. Marc, PS 63:7

Every spent a week at summer camp?  What a joyful experience. Backpacking, swimming, lake canoeing, archery, music, trail riding, sport & games, special events and campfires create tons of fun.  Evening campfires were one of my favorites.  Telling spooky stores, roasting marsh-mellows for s’mores and singing. Did you ever sing about Dem Bones?  You know, the toe bone connected to the foot bone, the foot bone connected to the heel bone, the heel bone connected to the ankle bone and so on?  The song gets you thinking about how when things are connected together properly, they work efficiently.

The same truth holds strong when it comes to training and educating your staff.  If you want to connect personally with your employees and improve their level of performance through your training efforts, you have to connect with them through your presentation style. People learn in many different ways and it is your responsibility to create a learning environment that is valuable to all.

Here are some recommendations for improving your personal training and communication techniques:

Be open, honest and yourself.  Show your staff that you are comfortable with who you are and with the training situation at hand.  Capitalize on your strengths and recognize your limitations.  Your personality, attitude, confidence, and professional behavior and image will set the learning environment tone.

Encourage employee participation.  Employees will fill valued if you provided them with an opportunity to actively participate in the learning process.  They should be encouraged to ask and answer questions and to make a contribution to all learning discussions. Employees are not just recipients of information, but also a fundamental part of the learning process. Do what ever it takes to engage your employees in thought provoking conversation. Remember to use a variety of questions to capture their imagination: open-ended, re-bound, re-direct, specific and general questions).

Sharpen your personal presentation techniques.  The quality of your presentation (verbal, vocal, visual and energy level delivery) is of primary importance to your success and comfort level while training and educating your employees.  Good delivery builds your self-confidence, strengthens your credibility and captures your employee’s attention and interest. Practice does not make perfect but practicing the perfect does.

Become an obsessive listener. Seek to understand what people are truly saying, even if you have to read between the lines (facial expressions, eye contact, emotional make-up) and ask plenty of probing questions. Resist the urge to rattle off reactions and opinions. Remember that openness is a function of trust, and trust takes time and sincere effort to build. When being spoken to give your undivided attention. Be focused

Laugh, use humor and have fun.  One objective to strive for in every training session is for everyone to enjoy themselves. Humor is one of the most powerful ways to make a personal connection with employees.  If you want to keep your employees energized, upbeat, and awake, while helping them to retain “must know” information”, sometimes you just have to let down your hair. Share funny anecdotes, props, quotes, and one -liners. Don’t take yourself too seriously; life is way to short not to laugh.

Ok, let’s continue, one, two, and three: the ankle bone connected to the leg bone, the leg bone connected to the knee bone, knee bone connected to the thigh bone………

Dr. Marc, PS 63:7

A life motivated by ambition is usually characterized by self-destruction. Seriously consider the cost before taking your first step forward.

Dr. Marc, PS 63:7

When we see others succeeding where we haven’t or receiving the affirmations we so long for and crave, it is difficult to rejoice with them.  Jealousy is our natural reaction.  But how tragic when our own jealous emotions make us envious of the good fortunes of others.  Let’s celebrate with them, what are true friendships for!

Dr. Marc, PS 63:7

Forgiveness is not a word which is merely announced.  It is a beautiful gift which has to be honestly given, and it must be lived out.  Forgiveness is not just a change in our behavior, a reluctant handshake or a forced smile.  It is a transformation in our feelings and attitudes.

Dr. Marc, PS 63:7

If a lamp does not help people see out of the darkness, it is useless.  Does your life show other people how to find their way out of the shadows?  How to find the right path to travel?  How to live with purpose?  Complacency, resentment, bitterness, frustration, doubt, anxiety, stubbornness of heart, or waywardness could keep your light from shining through you to others.

Your light is not to be hid under a basket, but to shine brightly from the lamp-stand.

Dr. Marc, PS 63:7