The Christmas Ten

Yesterday, I read The Ultimate Guide for Becoming an Idea Machine by James Altucher. I read this article last year and somehow forgot all about it. I may have not been an idea machine back then, but now I am ready to give this a try. How do you become an idea machine? Make a list of ten things. Every day. It doesn’t even matter what the list is about. You get to choose. It could be 10 things you want to do or 10 ideas for someone else’s business. Not every idea will be a gem, but that is not the point of the exercise. The point is to come up with the ideas. And maybe along the way, some good ones may pop up.

Today will be my put attempt at it. Being that it is Christmas, here is my list of ten things I could write about on this day.

1. Today is all about hope. Why some would choose to deny that or prevent others from that hope is beyond me.
2. I often forget how amazing Joseph is. His story is a lesson in humility and understanding that I could stand to learn and apply to my own life as a father and a husband.
3. I wonder what Jesus’ childhood was like. Can you imagine Him as a toddler? Did He conduct Himself differently at that age?
4. Thinking of children. The joy and excitement on their faces truly is precious. I hope they never lose it, and I even hope that I can become more like them in my enthusiasm. As Dostoevsky said, “The soul is healed by being around children.”
5. If this day is about peace and love, I do not need to be an additional thorn in the side of those who are hurting. I need to be patient, thoughtful, and kind every day but especially on this day.
6. There is a temptation to sit around and do nothing, maybe get sucked into the drain of social media. Doing this is not being a servant to anyone. I need to put aside this temptation and get engaged.
7. Making a list of 10 isn’t as easy or quick as I thought. But with practice, this task can become second nature . I’m reminded of something a friend’s recently departed mother used to say, “Go to the pantry and find a can’t.” There is none in there, but there are plenty of cans.
8. This is also a day of faith. When ours is waning, let us remember those dearly departed who have gone before us. Those whose hope and faith never wavered even on the darkest of days. Their example is one we all can learn from.
9. If I eat too much of the bad stuff today, I won’t have any room left for the good stuff that my body really needs. A little moderation and self-discipline can go a long ways.
10. This day is also about LOVE and the greatest show of love comes in the form of sacrifice. Maybe today we are not laying down our lives for others, but we can sacrifice our selfish desires and freely give our energy and our time for the good of those around us.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas!