William Shakespeare sure had it right when he penned his now famous line from his wonderful stage play, Hamlet, “Know thyself and to thine self be true.” Sadly, and all too often, men and fewer women just cannot come to grips with the pure and simple truth about themselves. They look into the mirror every morning, look right into their own eyes and don’t really like what they see and don’t really like who they are.

They don’t see a champion, or a winner or a warrior. They don’t see an overcomer. They can’t envision a mighty person of valor who is inside of their own body screaming to get out,…begging for change and assistance in the battle for their own life and survival against mediocrity and/or average achievement.

Everyone of us is created by the same God, The Creator God of The Universe. We of course do not all serve the same god, but we were all created by the Almighty God who created All Things both in the heavens and in and on the earth. We were all engineered for success and designed so as to achieve greatness. We say we know that fact. An yet, no matter what we have accomplished up to this point in our lives, most folks just can’t seem to muster up what ever it takes to grow and change and become more than they presently are,…become a real champion in life.

Most folks today are just like they were in Hamlet’s day. They are unwilling to admit that they are lying to themselves,…that they have no dream or they only have an insufficient sized dream,…want,…need, or desire not big enough or wanted bad enough to carry them forward and upward to their own successful desires and accomplishments. How terribly sad would it be to live out the remainder of your life on a little,…on half a cup,…on only a portion of what you could have had, if only you would have dreamed a bigger dream, demanded excellence for your self and family instead of accepting mediocrity and average or a little above average. How much different and better would it be for you and your loved ones if only you had been willing to change, and grow yourself, and overcome your status or low, unhealthy personal self image. Think for just a moment how much greater and better life and its blessings would be for you if you would only make better decisions, begin believing in who you are and the person you are in the process of becoming. It has been said that Hell is the day that you meet the person you could have been. I personally never want to experience that situation in my life. I sincerely hope you do not want that either.

Now men, pay attention. It is long past time for you to man up,…cowboy up,…grow up and become the man and provider and protector of your own family. That is your own personal responsibility,…no one else’s.
Living…existing in your Comfort Zone is a very dangerous place to be and live. In the long run it can be deadly. Loss of respect from your spouse and children is just as deadly as is loss of your life. Sir…you are to be Tarzan for your family…next to invincible,…the hero of your home. Are you? You cannot be the Mouse of the House and be the leader of your home simultaneously.

Now if you find yourself lacking in any of the areas discussed thus far, don’t get mad at anyone else. You are the only one to blame. If you know this about you, don’t be naive…so do the other member(s) of your family know this about you. You are only responsible for yourself as the head of your own family. Don’t expect or demand your spouse to pick up your responsibilities. God gave you, Hercules, the job of providing for, protecting, and filling all of the needs of your family. Those responsibilities cannot be pawned off onto someone else’s shoulders. If you foolishly attempt to do that, you will lose every bit of the trust and respect your loved ones have for you. When God calls the “Man of the House” to stand up and be counted,….it had better be you. No one else is qualified or charged with the responsibilities. Don’t blame a heavy work schedule, a busy travel schedule, a-made-up-busier-than-is-really-the-case workload at the office. No excuse for shirking your God-given responsibilities is acceptable in the eyes of your Creator. Believe me, your spouse knows the truth. You think you can hide your failures and short comings,… but after the honeymoon ends, there are no more secrets to discover between you and your spouse. You know them all and all of the new ones that will enter the picture as the years flow by.

You know in your own heart that mamma knows everything. You can run,…but you cannot hide. The Holy Spirit somehow gets the truth of the matter to your spouse. She knows. She wants the man she married and honey-mooned with back into her life! She wants the dreams and goals and excitements back into your home and manner of living. She longs for the love, the caresses, and the romance to return….for the kind acts of random thankfulness to reappear. Storybook/fairy-tale marriages can and still do exist,…but…it is up to you, Tarzan, to dredge them up and to reinstitute them.

If you and your spouse still want more out of life than you presently possess…if you together desire a greater and more prosperous life and lifestyle, then God is not through with you yet. If you are already doing pretty good at least in your own eyes, may I ask you…..compared to whom?…all the broke people in your hometown? How are you doing compared to complete and total financial independence?….to total personal freedom? If you still are controlled and yanked around by an employer, don’t you dare insult me by telling me you are doing pretty good. I urge you to reread the title to this discussion.

Before slamming the lid to your computer down with way too much force coupled with a tinge of anger, may I exhort you to remember this great Truth of Life…..You will build a dream with the use of your life…it will either be you and your family’s own dream or it will be another man and his family’s dream…you cannot build both,…you don’t have enough years available to build both.

It is time to once and for all decide….What are you really going to do?

Peace and Love to All of You……………….Poppa Bear