On that note, I came a across a 3"x5" card the other day, that I had written out years ago. What was on it was so simple and practical that I have to share it. I have now taped the 3"x5" card to my mirror in the bathroom so that I am reminded of the wisdom that I had gleaned. I do not know who to give the credit to. I might have picked it up in Evening College from Bro. Darrell Moore. I could have heard it in a Sunday night sermon from Bro. Hyles. I may have received it in a private admonishment by my pastor, Bro. Schaap. No matter the source, I found the efficacy of the statements to be so practical and valuable as to be of help to you.
3 Things a 30 Year Old Man Can Do To Improve Himself:
#1.) Get his money under control.
-Budget every penny. Every cent should have a purpose. A wise man used to say, "Don't live life by accident. Live every minute of it on purpose." This same philosophy can be applied to your money. If you don't want your bank account to be a casualty then make sure every penny has purpose in it. When your money doesn't have purpose, you will spend it. Now this doesn't mean don't have fun, just budget your fun. Budget date night. Budget entertainment. Budget gifts and Christmas. Budget emergencies. You can survive with out a plan, but you can not succeed without a plan.
-Purchase only with in your budget. This is a seemingly impossible feat for many of us guys. So many times the newest gadget appears to be so necessary, but the truth is, "It's not." Guys are gadget and toy oriented. This is why self-discipline and accountability is so important for young men. Did you ever noticed that many of the successful and well-to-do got that way because of steps they took as young men. Make it a hard and fast rule in your life that you only spend what's in the budget. If your budget does match your spending, then you may need to look at your budget again, or your spending may be out of control. Most likely it is the latter.
#2.) Get his body under control.
-Schedule your life. Another wise man once said, "Don't let life happen to you, you happen to life." Schedule every minute of your life. Use every minute of your life for a purpose. No I am not talking about the, "Purpose Driven Life," but what's wrong with that. If at the end of your life you had accomplished all that you had purposed I believe that much would be made about you and you would be satisfied. Terrible are the phrases:
"I've got time to kill."
"I've got a few minutes to blow."
"Sure, I'm not doing anything right now."
Remember that we only get one crack at life, let's make the first shot our best shot. To do this, you need to get up to your alarm. You will need to plan your play time. You will need to budget your slack time. Do something with every moment of your life. It is amazing, but the man who's time is budgeted doesn't get bored, nor does he smack his forehead in disgust at himself wondering how he got in this position.
-Exercise and Preventive Maintenance. You need to exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes each. It is necessary. God did not intend for us to sit at a desk or in cars while our physical body wastes away because of mistreatment. In order to keep a classic car in good running condition, you do not let it waste away in the garage. You take it for a spin. You run the engine. You get the juices flowing. The same holds true for your body. Get your juices flowing. Exercise. Make it fun. Play basketball. Jog with your iPod. Climb. Swim or do something. If you can make it fun, you will be more likely to keep at it. Take vitamins. Our schedules and dietary habits make it necessary for us to take supplements in order for our bodies to get what they need. Lose weight. Fat is a killer, plain and simple. Don't diet. Just change your habits and include exercise. Changing your life habits to account for the heath of your physical body is the best way to prolong your life.
#3.) Get his mind under control.
-Control the inputs. Your mind is a computer. It will output what gets input. Are you hungry for sex? Then you are pumping in too much sex? Can't control your thinking. Then your inputs are not structured. You decide what you see, hear, read. Don't let the world around you decide for you. You decide. You fought for so long to be your own man, NOW BE IT. You decide. Advertising and marketing is aimed at the casual observer. Don't be casual. Men don't normally take up pornography on purpose. In fact, all of the men that I have counseled concerning a problem with pornography came about it accidentally. In every case of the hundreds of young men that I know that have struggled with porn, every single one of them was introduced to it by a male member of their family, by a friend, or by accident on the internet. They had never intended to be doing what they were doing. Another reason to schedule your time.
-Meditate. Now don't get spooky on me, but I am talking about a dedicated time to think about something. One of the greatest failures in our modern society is the inability of its people to concentrate on something for any length of time. It seems if it doesn't have moving pictures and bits and bites of sounds and images every second, then people won't be attracted. It is necessary for a man to discipline himself to think. Start small. Set aside 5 minutes to think upon a pre-chosen topic, and for 5 minutes think about it and only it. With Easter nearly upon us one idea would be to think about the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. No. Don't watch the "Passion of the Christ." Think about it.
-Memorize. Memorization is another means of meditation. It is taking head knowledge and applying it to the table of your heart. It is putting a tool in your tool box. It is ensuring there is a sword in the scabbard and a gun in the holster. Memorization is taking what we learn and making it usable for us later when life's opportunities are upon us. You should memorize the Bible, good quotes, poetry, great songs, etc. I dare say that most men do not include this facet in their lives.
-Read. Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders (qualification: good) are readers. It is imperative to your development and long life that you always be learning. Reading is a good portion of that education. You ought to be in a book everyday of your life. If you are not a reading type of guy, stop giving excuses for your failures and become the type of guy that reads.
Being that I am now 40 years old this month, I think it is about time that I stop being convicted by the statements and do some of them. I hope that you will also.
Your Servant and HIS!!!
Brian Cassada
