If we were to disassemble a smartphone, we would find many little parts. Yet each one is essential to making the phone work.

Have you ever had the idea to extend a complement to another person, make a call to a friend or family, do something nice for a stranger, inquire about someone else’s well-being, smile at your neighbor or some other little thing, but didn’t? Maybe you thought it would not matter or they would not care because it was just a little thing. But the little things matter.

Do you need to kiss your spouse like you did on your wedding day, hug your child like you did when you picked them up after their first day at school, tell your team they are doing a decent job, or tell your boss thanks for the tip? You get the idea.

Today, do a special little something for someone else because it matters to your well-being and theirs.

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest in much.

(NIV, Luke 16:10)

Here are 10 of some of the lessons I learned over my 50 years.

If there is an especially significant lesson you learned over your lifetime and you would like to share, post in the comments with your name and I will publish it in one of my future thoughtpagers.

Cheers to life!

1.  Lessons. Misfortunes especially teach you a lesson and if you don’t learn, it will be repeated.
2. People. Some people come into your life for a reason, some for a season and others for a lifetime. The faster you understand each person’s purpose, the faster you will find peace with the relationship.
3. Regret. The pain of regret is greater than the pain of action now.
4. Mistakes. God can turn your mistakes into a benefit faster than you thought possible.
5. Hope. There is the sunshine of a breakthrough just behind the clouds of pain or disappointment.
6. Purpose. We all have a purpose and life takes on new meaning when you find it. When you understand your purpose you save time, gain energy, and live with more fulfillment.
7. Habits. Unhealthy habits can be rooted as deep as childhood, that’s why they can be so hard to break. Face the fear of improved ones repeatedly and you will break through.
8. Time. You don’t have as much time as you think if you understand that it can take years to determine who you are, years to determine who you want to be, years to recover from big mistakes, years to hone your craft, before enjoying the fruits of your labor.
9. Growth. Consuming the right material, networking with the right people, and mentoring from the right coach can catapult your growth.
10. Gratitude. Finding ways to be grateful daily can help you to avoid feeling entitled to anything and be more aware of the blessings you have.

For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

(NLV, Act 17:28)

Some have played a game called Truth or Dare in which players get to tell something that is true about themselves or do something unusual that another player dares them to do. One of the keys is that the dare must not be illegal or cause physical harm. This makes me think of boundaries.

We are free to act yet responsible to freely choose wisely.

Jonathan O’Neil

Boundaries give us the liberty to play full-out and not worry about our actions being out of scope. Take a basketball game for example. Players play within the boundaries of the court, get to have fun, are challenged on the court, and yet do not feel restricted. At the same time, fans get to witness true talent and some shots made on a dare. Likewise, in our occupations we understand and abide by policies. Within that realm we get to have some fun and be challenged to grow as well.

May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.

Peter Marshall

It follows then that we must be clear on the boundaries in our lives, beyond which limits or hurts us. Whether it is an extra hour of television at night, at a social event or at the office, we know that not setting appropriate boundaries can cost more than we are willing to pay eventually.

Are non-existing or unclear boundaries impairing your progress? Tell the truth, I dare you.

Act as free people, and do not use your freedom as covering for evil but use it as bondservants of God.

(NASB, 1 Peter 2:16)

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He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaves does not wither; and in whatever he does he prospers.

(NASB, Psalm 1:3)

In growing up, I watched my mom sometimes nurture a kitchen garden which included tomato plants. She was careful to water them and observe their leaves as the color indicated their health. Over time they always grew to be healthy, and we enjoyed the delicious produce.

In contrast, consider an artificial plant. It stays green and there is no nurturing involved, but it does not bear fruit. For those who have a green thumb or would like to be involved in the growth process, such a tree would not be appealing.

Our heavenly father regards us as real trees. When we meditate on His word (Psalm 1:2), to Him we are like a tree planted by nourishing streams of water, we bear fruit and we do not wither from our challenges. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). The father is the great gardener of our lives, but we must also participate in our growth. The word infuses our hearts, minds, and spirits with the cues we need for fruitful actions.

In the beginning was the word, the word was with God and word was God (John 1:1). So, meditating on the word feeds us with more of God who becomes integrated into us to direct our thoughts and actions for something wonderful. No wonder the scripture says that in whatever he does he prospers.

You may not have discovered your green thumb with plants or trees, but you can exhibit it in your own life. The leaves of us real trees, reflected in the satisfaction of our lives, indicate our digestion and application of the word.