Saluki downTime January 22, 2023

Poise 

If you had 1 million dollars but could only spend it on things that start with first letter of your last name. What would you buy? 3 things. 

Poise - graceful and elegant bearing in a person. - balance; equilibrium.

: BALANCE

especially : to hold or carry in equilibrium

carried a water jar poised on her head

: to hold supported or suspended without motion in a steady position

: to hold or carry (the head) in a particular way

: to put into readiness : BRACE

: to become drawn up into readiness

Just being yourself. Being at east in any situation. Never fighting yourself. 

Whatever you are doing to do - do it fast. 

Natural outgrowth of having the other blocks in their proper place. We don’t have either if we don’t have the others 

- Poise. 

Just being you. Does this make sense to you? 

When we have poise, we’re not acting, faking, or pretending. We are not trying to live up to others expectations.

What have you faked? 

Something simple? 

Somethings major? 

Outside influences won’t change who we are or what we try to be. 

Poise keeps true to ourselves. 

Poise characteristics, 

1. Self control 

2. Confidence. 

These are the two primary ingredients. These are two great disciplines to have. 

How many of you have self control? 

How many of you have confidence? 

How hard is it for you to have poise?

I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt so you would no longer be slaves. I have lifted the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk free with your heads held high. 

Leviticus 26:13

Who struggles with what others think of them? Be honest. 

Who is a people pleaser? Or a yes man? Want to make people happy no matter the cost. 

Who always flees from controversy. 

Biblical characters that show poise. 

1. Shepard. 

2. orphan

When God’s got you, you don’t have to trust yourself or be concerned about what anyone else thinks. 

Moses was a shepherd. Moses had a speech impediment. Moses failed 9 times with Pharoah. 

It was on the 10th time that Moses went to Pharaoh to free the Jewish people. 

Moses wasn’t intimidated and demonstrated poise that comes when we are doing God’s will. 

Moses did not waver. 

McKinley on Esther

Esther was orphaned. Esther watched the abuse  of the King. The king wanted to kill her. 

Esther had poise and courage. 

3 C’s 

1. Control 

2. Confidence. 

3. Courage

When these components are rooted in Christ, rather than self, we have a far firmer foundation upon which to achieve success. 

Group Activity 

Do you usually prepare or wing it? 

Do you usually have your emotions under control?  Under control or Lack of control. 

When it comes to your relationship with God, are you poised, or are you a poser? 

Based on these three questions, what do you need to work on? 

Saluki downTime December 3, 2023

Saluki downTime December 3, 2023

Team Spirit

Team Spirit - A genuine consideration for others. An eagerness to sacrifice personal interests of glory for the welfare of all.

What do you think is the most important part of a team? My opinion is YOU.

Why would I choose you?

Willingness is more like I will if I have to. Eagerness - I'll be happy to sacrifice personal accomplishments for the good of the team.

Is doing something willingly bad?

What if you change your mindset to eager to do something?

Team spirit is the ultimate expression of interdependence.

What is interdependence?

You Need Others. Why do you need others?

If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is separate and necessary part of it.

1 Corinthians 12:26-27

The ones who do the planting or watering aren't important, but God is important because he is the one who makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work as a team with the same purpose.

1 Corinthians 3:7-8

The point is, to God my contribution is no more valuable than yours, but neither is it less.

Team Spirit -

Some of us are Jews, some are gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into Christ's body by one Spirit, and we have all received the same Spirit.

 1 Corinthians 12:13

Don't think more highly of yourself than you ought, But don't think less of yourself either. Be an eager team member, not reluctant or just willing. God wants your heart, and God's team needs your contribution.

Think about the groups which you belong to. What role do you play in each?

How important is your role?

Do your current roles best utilize your spiritual gifts and natural talents?

How can you be a better team member?

Saluki downTime November 27, 2023

Saluki downTime Nov 27, 2023

Turkey or Ham - What's the worst Thanksgiving food?

Skill - how would you define skill

A knowledge of and the ability to properly and quickly execute the fundamentals. Be prepared and cover every little detail.

What is your skill? Weird question but what is it for you?

Skill is more than knowledge and execution. A skillful person usually has a sense of timing, and the ability to quickly perform the skill.

Know the fundamentals and be able to execute the skill.

But a quick player with some basketball skills will make a bigger contribution than one who has immense skill. In basketball big and slow is not as good as big but quick.

We can affect our brain power and our physical potential through education, training, and practice. God only made one Lewis Alcindor (Kareem Abul-Jabbar), one Mel Gibson, and one Billy Graham.

The rest of us didn't receive as much potential as the highest achievers, but each of us can still become successful. we might not become as significant as we aspire to be , but we can become the best we are capable of becoming.

Do you see any truly competent workers? they will serve kings rather than ordinary people. 

Proverbs 22:29

What have you done to be skillful?

Becoming skillful takes time and hard work.

Being mediocre is easy. Being average is easy. Meeting your parents standard or maybe even your coaches standard can be easily achievable.

Our potential for excellence lies in our undeveloped areas of skill. - our god given Hard wiring.

God gives us the potential to be skillful. It is our job to discover our potential and to develop our talent.

What is your contribution? What has God called you to do? Does it have to be big?

Significant contribution to God's kingdom is applying your skill and gifts to this earth.

Both skills and gifts must be discovered and then developed.

What would you want to be if money wasn't an issue.

Most people want to be something other than what God has built into them. We usually aspire to accomplish something that is important in the eyes of the world?

Our parents encourage us to climb the world's ladder of success.

Who has a parent like this? If you want to admit it.

Who thinks that God wants them to be a custodian? A secretary? Or a garbage man?

The bible clearly states that those who serve others will be rewarded in heaven.

Now, how many of you think that God calls people to all jobs and all levels of income?

It seems that we can set our sights as high as we want, but whatever skills we have and whatever endeavor we end up pursuing, it's best to live with the attitude of a servant.

Note Card -

1. Apart from sleeping, list the top five activities in which you spend the most time. Be Honest.

2. Pick one of these statements that is true for you.

a. People drain me, people energize me or I prefer small groups.

b. I communicate best with spoken words - written words - or artistic expression.

c. I like working with things or ideas

d. I am most skilled: working with my hands, solving problems, selling, or teaching.

3. Measure the time spent in your top five time consuming activities against the choices above.

Are you spending most of your time doing what seems to come naturally?

I commit myself to developing and using the talents and gifts God has given me.

Saluki downTime November 13, 2023

Saluki downTime November 13, 2023

Best candy bar

Condition

Mental-moral-physical. Exercise and diet must be considered. Moderation must be practiced. Dissipation must be eliminated.

Today, think about How Fit Are You?

This is considered to be the heart of the pyramid.

Condition is the mental, physical, moral, and spiritual fitness.

Each of these require different conditioning.

What does each sport take to be in peak physical condition? Are they all the same? If not, what is different?

Success also takes moral and spiritual conditioning.

Moderation must be practiced.

What are some areas where moderation must be practiced?

What if you separated yourself from your competition by being in the best condition you could be in? Not fastest or strongest but overall condition.

You are not a success until you have made the effort to become the best you can be.

What do you think about this statement?

Are you truly doing your best to be in the best condition you can be in?

Let's become the best conditioned person or team we can be.

Failure to address mental, moral, and spiritual conditioning will limit even the best physical conditioning.

Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important , for it promises a reward in both this life and next.

 1 Timothy 4:8

What has been your greatest test in physical conditioning?

High school coach for me for pre season workouts.

What has been your toughest mental conditioning test?

What about spiritual conditioning? Any thoughts?

How do we get better with our relationship with God?

How do you deal with temptation? Like really?

Conditioning produces confidence and Elijah was confident.

Paul said I exercise myself, to always have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men.

The word EXERCISE means to actively train practice and struggle to gives one's best, even to the point of pain.

We won't be a success without mental, moral, and spiritual conditioning as well.

What do you do regularly to condition yourself:

1. Physcially

2. Mentally

3. morally

4. spiritually

Recall one time when your conditioning of each of the four areas paid off.

Thanksgiving! My house.

If you need anything that week.

1. place to stay

2. food

3. literally anything let me know. We are home and off work!

Father in Heaven, I desire to get into the best possible physical, mental, moral, and spiritual condition. Help me to use my time wisely and give me the desire to follow through until I reach my goals. I want to be ready when you call. Thank you.

November 2023 Update

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HEARTS AND MINDS UPDATE ­ NOVEMBER 1, 2023 UPDATE Matthew 9:21 - She thought, "If I can just touch his Robe, I will be healed." SIU Womens Soccer: The soccer team as invited me to be a part of their staff. God is moving and I am thankful.  SIU Women's Basketball Season has begun. Being a practice players is a way for me to build trust and relationships. I am thankful.  Saluki Track and Field I have been invited to attend track and field practices.    This is high jumping training!    Encouragement is my role with this team.  SIU Football Practice Hard couple games. Football works hard and I get to be a small part of helping their hearts and minds during this process.   READ ARTICLE Priorities: I am so thankful that Cooper gets to be a part of what I do. A GA captured this photo of our first time being on the same team.  READ ARTICLE ­ ­ ­ Hearts and Minds Ministries 208 South Pine Lane 62901 Carbondale   heartsandmindsministries@gmail.com 618.202.9963 Privacy Imprint Unsubscribe