As We Begin a New Year Will It Be Fear, Phobias, 
or Fortitude Dominating Your Life?
"212 degrees of Fidelity, Today and Beyond"

I have a question, is there any original thought possible in humanity today?  As we embark on a new year there will be countless new years resolutions made, attempted, and failed. What would be a unique realistic new years resolution which could truly make a difference in our lives, our families lives, and the world? This is my point society has existed since 8000 B.C., so I ask you again with this in mind is there any original thought possible? While we meditate on this I would like to ask each of you another question, what is true success? As you are sitting reading this very moment is your mind racing thinking about the events of the day, or perhaps the events you must accomplish tomorrow? I firmly believe that many people die in their thirties, and they are buried in their seventies. For this simple reason, most people would rather remain trapped in fear only to sleep sounding in their bed where no dreams lurk under covers of regret. Many people today have forgotten how to dream, reach for and achieve greatness. All American's are beholden to our founding fathers because they did not forget how to dream and the had they resolve to change the world.  

Would you like to change the world? Now that is a new years resolution we can all get behind. However, you may think you are too young, old, inept, or insignificant for such a task. The stage of life has many prologues, scenes, and acts we are thrust on. Gustav Freytag was a German novelist and playwright in the eighteenth century. His analysis of Greek and Shakespearean drama are concluded a drama is divided into five parts, or acts or dramatic arc.

Act I - Childhood

Act II - Youth

Act III - Manhood

Act IV – Old Age

Denouement - Death

The first act occurs in childhood and has chairs placed on the stage of life. The first row only contains three chairs, and the second row has a variety of chairs. As we begin to interact with our classmates during elementary school and then during our formative years we notice that some friends are a negative influence and just get us into trouble. The rising action in each scene of our life must contain a transformation to ensure our success.

Life is a stage, you will bask in the spotlight one day and the next day you are cast as a supporting actor, and then you will be discarded and exchanged for a new more congenial face. Perhaps Napoleon Bonaparte said it best, “In this life, we are either kings or pawns of men; emperors or fools.” The determining factor which shall decide the role you play is often decided by those sitting in the chairs directly beside you. Our friends, those in our circle of acquaintance and our world are facing difficult times. Remaining true to our personal convictions, being accountable and inspiring greatness in others demands unity of purpose. Is there someone who is sitting beside you that needs to move to the second row, while another needs to come and sit beside you?

Some of us will never embrace life because of fear, we are content to allow those negative persons in life to bring us down or invite those we know we need in our life to move from the second row to the first row and sit beside us. There is hardly a person who isn’t plagued by fears and phobias – of insects, snakes, water, spiders, death, etc. We believe we are born with our fears, that they are deeply decoded in our DNA and that we can never get rid of them. However, this is a common misconception, as people are born with only two fears – of falling and the fear of loud noises. These two fears are incorporated in the human DNA and have become a mechanism for survival which is passed to new generations. The single aim of these inborn fears is to keep humans alive and motivated in order to avoid potential dangers.

Any other fears you experience have been acquired throughout your life and are often caused by certain events and situations that have marked your mind and emotions in a way that make you feel scared. Some fears we adopt from those sitting beside us. The fear of going back to school, the fear of applying for a new job, the fear of moving. Emanuel James "Jim" Rohn was an American entrepreneur in the mid-’60s. Rohn said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

Do not let fear keep you from achieving greatness. I was afraid of going back to college to earn my MBA. It was my wife sitting beside me that encouraged and supported me to go back to college. Our daughter Caroline was 14 years old when she taught me to develop a power point presentation. Now I help others at work do the same. Was I afraid when I began, yes? I decided to maximize my time and go back to college the second year I served as Grand Master. 

I had 4 indispensable gifts to help me overcome my fears.     

1.  A goal. 

2. The love and support of my wife and best friend Diana to face my fears. 

3. Friends who kept me accountable. 

4. A childlike spirit to Dream

We need to keep the childlike spirit alive in our soul. Those of us who teach children are challenged daily to keep the spark of greatness alive inside of each of them. Children dream, and have virtually no fear. The impulse to dream has been slowly beaten out of many of us by life.  Over the last 32 years, I have had 4 students die from violence being murdered. I have lost 3 students trapped in addiction, fear, and regret only to take their life. I have a student who struggles with addiction. They are not my first student to battle addiction, and regrettably, they will not be my last. This student is dominated by fear, hiding in addiction by refusing to invite those sitting in the second row to come to sit beside providing a positive influence stimulating an environment where they can dream again.

Earlier I ask you is there any original thought possible in humanity? Consider three authors from different centuries and different continents.

Ø  The impulse to dream was slowly beaten out of me by experience. Now it surged up again and I hungered for books, new ways of looking and seeing. Richard Wright in 1924 at the age of 16 he published his first novel.

Ø  “Tell me thy company, and I will tell thee what thou art.”

Miguel de Cervantes 1605

Ø  “Strange times are these in which we live when old and young are taught falsehoods in school, and the person that dares, to tell the truth, is called at once a lunatic and fool” Plato 427 B.C.

 I would like to share

                 

10 lessons I learned as a Carpenter which changed my life

1. You must have a firm, and a sound foundation. “By wisdom, a house is built, and by understanding, it is established” Proverbs 24:3. If you want to change your life, and positively impact the world establish a firm foundation.

2. As a carpenter after the foundation is constructed we build and then stand up the perimeter walls. You cannot stand a wall up alone. If you want to build an edifice which will last if you want to change your life, and positively impact the world find someone to help build with you. Many hands make light work.

3. Often you will need a child to guide you. If you want to change the world, begin by listening to children. Talking with, and listening to children accomplishes numerous important effects. It improves your bond with them and encourages them to listen to you. It helps them to form relationships and to build self-esteem. If you want to change your life, and positively impact the world start by listening to children establishing a legacy of positive relationships.

4. “The best –laid plans of mice and men often go awry” Robert Burns. Sometimes things will just go wrong. If you want to change the world do not sweat the little things in life, because often little things will go wrong. If you want to change your life, and positively impact the world accentuate the positive.

5. You need to have a strong physical core. Because many of your body’s movements originate from your core, working toward improving its strength will enhance your posture, spinal alignment, stability and more. If you want to change your life, and positively impact the world establish a strong physical core.

6. You need PPE (personal protection equipment). You are a Temple of GOD, and HIS Spirit dwells in you. If you want to change your life, and positively impact the world value all human life beginning with the life God gave you, use PPE.

7. You will need to climb ladders and scaffolding and assist those doing the same. If you want to change your life and positively impact the world you have to get off the ground. Begin to climb safely. Any good, therefore, that we can do, any wisdom we can impart or any kindness we can show to any human being, let us do it now for this world is not our home and we shall not pass by this way again.

8. You will work long and arduous hours. Patience is one of the most crucial virtues you need in life. If you want to change your life, and positively impact the world focus on the goal, not the clock.

9. 90% of any construction job is accomplished in the planning. Begin to establish and then work through a well-planned strategy to accomplish the vision God gives you. Establish leaders and distribute the assignments among them. If you want to change your life, and positively impact the world plan ahead.

10. You need to learn and apply the Code book to everything you construct. If you want to change your life, and positively impact the world follow the codebook, God’s Holy Word detailing basic instructions before leaving earth. You may have heard of it by the acronym the B-I-B-L-E.

"Everything meaningful and significant will take time to build. During this process, we build and establish our character which is paramount to achieving and sustaining  true success."

The fabric of history has woven many truths to achieving and sustaining true success:

  v  The spirit is the true self. The spirit the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure” Cicero 106 B.C.

  v  The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities         are so much more important than the events that occur” Vince Lombardi 1913

I do not know if there is an original though possible any longer. In the light of GOD’s word we learn “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen   Romans 11:36

Earlier I asked you if you wanted to change the world. The most current population statistics I found revealed there are 5 million people living in South Carolina today. I would like to challenge you, to begin with, your circle of acquaintance. The average person interacts with 10 people a day. We have approximately 200 people here tonight, therefore if we invest our time talent and ability into just ten people, we will reach 2000 people. Then, if we search out another 10 people and those we impacted do the same then we will reach 20,000 people on the second revolution. Next, if we search out another 10 people and those we impacted do the same then we will reach 200,000 people on the third revolution. Then, if we search out another 10 people and those we impacted do the same then we will reach 2,000,000 people on the fourth revolution. Then, if we search out another 10 people and those we impacted do the same then we will reach 20,000,000 the fifth revolution. Then, if we search out another 10 people and those we impacted do the same then we will reach 200,000,000 million the sixth revolution. Then, if we search out another 10 people and those we impacted do the same then we will reach 2,000,000,000 the seventh revolution.

I do not know if you have:

Ø  The love and support of family to face your fears

Ø  I do not know if you have a childlike spirit to Dream

Ø  I do not know if you have a goal

Ø  I do not know if you have Friends who keep you accountable

I do know if you apply 10 simple lessons on how to build, then anything is possible for you, your family, our fraternity, and we can change this world.

Building something worthwhile takes time, GOD is not through with you yet.

If you want to change the world you can begin this New Year  with this simple prayer,

"Father create in me the Heart of a Servant, tender and faithful and true. Fill me with love, purge me from all iniquity, and then use me, O Lord, so that the world can see your Glory."

Your friend and Brother from Inman

Jay Adam