Recycling Possums

Cover via Amazon Recently my daughter was taking the dogs out and she noticed they were extremely interested in the recycling bin that I keep outside near the trash can. They were sniffing and barking excitedly. Upon closer inspection, she realized that a baby possum had somehow crawled inside the bin and then couldn’t get out. She called to tell me about it at work. My comment? “I didn’t know we were recycling possums.”


This got me to thinking about the negative things in our lives that we often recycle. Remember that decision to restrain from gossip? Just couldn’t help telling that one juicy story, right? Or remember the resolution to be optimistic and not drag yourself down by focusing on the negative? Did you stick with it? Or the hundreds of times we decide to exercise more or eat healthy? Within the hour sometimes we are back to the old easy way of doing things. What happens to that resolve? Is it just a matter of no willpower?

More likely it is a matter of a lack of focus and goal setting. Focus comes from our mission statement or purpose. Goals need to be measurable with many smaller goals leading up to the larger vision or life forming goals. Most people approach setting goals as they would approach writing New Year’s Resolutions. They are dreams with no foundations to hold them up and they soon crumble under the weight of everyday living.

On January 22, 2011, Carol Bass and I will be leading a one day workshop on Visioning at Kennesaw United Methodist Church. Based on the book The Path by Laurie Beth Jones, participants will be developing their own personal mission statement and vision. It should be a day of fun, fellowship and creative thinking. Join us! And stop recycling those possums!

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the path; walk in it.”

--Isaiah 30: 21