Words Worth Repeating

As many of you know, Dad had a tough fall and a head injury almost two years ago and this has impacted his short-term memory.  He still knows the stories and has all of the wisdom, he just can’t remember what he has just said (check out www.ziglar.com/zigupdate  for the full story), and the result is he will repeat himself and tell you the same thing in a short amount of time.

At first this was hard for me to get used to and was even uncomfortable, especially since many regard him as one of the greatest speakers ever to walk the stage.  It doesn’t seem right that the thing he is most famous for would be impacted the most.

This whole process has taught me an incredible lesson.  Dad may be famous for his speaking ability, but it is WHAT he said that had the life-changing impact on people.  Now, at 82 years, Dad is saying the impactful things more frequently, and if you missed it the first time you will likely get a second chance!

For me this life lesson is summed up in a simple phrase:
The mouth reveals the heart

Yes, I don’t mind at all when Dad repeats himself now.  His mouth is the window to his heart, and it is an amazing thing indeed.

62 Years of Thanksgiving

Mom and Dad celebrated their 62^nd wedding anniversary yesterday and today is Thanksgiving.  The Ziglar family has so much to be thankful for!  But nothing sums it up better than this: 

 

Yesterday I watched as Dad spent nearly 10 minutes writing Mom a special note on the anniversary card he gave her.  After 62 years he still wanted it to be “just right.”  When I saw Mom’s eyes light up when she got the card, I knew once again that spending a few extra minutes making things “just right” is worth every minute. 

 

Mom then wanted to display the card and as you may know they are selling their house.  The book shelves in the family room are cleaned out getting ready for the move, but now standing proudly all alone on those shelves for everyone to see (even the prospective home buyers who are coming through the house) is the card from Dad.

 

Why don’t you spend a few extra minutes this Thanksgiving making things “just right” with those you love? 

Something to Think About

 

I heard this in Church yesterday.

 

“We have value because God loves us.  Not, God loves us because we have value.” 

 

This thought humbles me and at the same time overflows my gratitude bucket. 

The Most Dangerous Word

I think the most dangerous word right now is tolerance.  Not because the true definition of the word is bad, but because our culture is redefining the word.  In fact, tolerance is the new love.  It is much more acceptable to be considered tolerant than it is to be considered loving.

 

Our culture says we should tolerate others “no matter what”.  This is actually a very selfish position because it means you have no risk of rejection with anyone doing anything crazy (go ahead and do that if you want to because I am tolerant). Love on the other hand is a very risky thing, because when you love someone you are willing to risk the relationship by telling them they are on a dangerous course.

 

Here is how you can test this out:

 

Should you tolerate your child, or should you love them?

Should you tolerate your spouse, or should you love them?

Should you tolerate your friend, or should you love them?

Should you tolerate your neighbor, or should you love them?

 

Tolerance taken to the end means that you look the other way when a friend does drugs.  Love means you risk a relationship in order to warn them about the danger of drugs.

 

True love loves the unlovely. (think Mother Teresa)

People who make tolerance their guiding value can not tolerate those who are intolerant to their views.  (think anyone who calls you intolerant for not accepting their view yet claims everyone’s own view is true to them and should be accepted)

 

Bottom line, we should tolerate people with different views, but it shouldn’t stop us from disagreeing with them or trying to win them over to our view, or loving them enough to warn them.  Tolerance taken too far gives us permission not to care what happens to them. 

Playing Dominoes with Dad

 

 One of my favorite sayings from Dad is “Love is spelled T-I-M-E.”  We have the joy of getting together as a family to play dominoes every so often, and there is nothing like the T-I-M-E we have during those games!  We razz each other days before the game, during the game, and for days after the game. 

 

Our last game was really awesome.  Mom, “The Redhead,” was all giggles and instructions.  My brother-in-law Jim “The Intimidator” Norman as usual had us all convinced he had won days before we started.  My daughter Alexandra “HelloKittyBallerinaGirl” Ziglar was fully engaged in the game while texting her friends and occasionally doing dance moves while sitting down.  My niece Katherine “I Can Impersonate Anyone” Lemons always makes the game more fun because you can leave the table to take care of business and while you are gone she will “be you,” meaning people can laugh at you without really laughing at you!

 

My sister Cindy “You Only Think I Can’t Tell a Joke” Oates had us all rolling with her pirate jokes and her friend Laurel “I Didn’t Know You Can’t Do That” Marshall was up to her usual tricks of deception and distraction.  Meanwhile, The Dynamic Duo of Dad “Embrace the Struggle” Ziglar and my sister Julie “The Editor” Norman had teamed up and Julie was doing what she does best – editing Dad’s moves!  (My nickname is Tom “I Am Not Coming In Last This Time” Ziglar.  We did have a couple of spectators for the big event.  My wife Chachis “I am not a game person” Ziglar and my brother-in-law Richard “I Am Not A Game Person either” Oates. 

 

This game was one for the ages, over four hours of T-I-M-E together.  Several great things happened:  I didn’t come in last, Jim Norman didn’t win, and Dad and Julie did win!  (By the way, Dad really likes to win!)

 

Here was the big win for me.  About every hour Dad would say “Nothing makes me happier than to be with my family.  I can’t imagine anything being more fun or better than this.”

 

Turn off the TV and play a game with your family and see how much T-I-M-E can add to your life.