Author Archives: Jim Gleason

Recently our car was broken into overnight. The thieves took the strangest things; the owner’s manual, two pairs of sunglasses, some loose change, the toll road transponder, and a baseball cap. The only thing that I miss is the sunglasses. Why would someone take the owner’s manual? It is bulky and heavy to carry. BesidesContinue reading “Owner’s Manual”

Where do you go for advice? Perhaps you have trusted counselors or advisors. One thing I have learned is to go to people with more success than me in the area that I need counsel. For example, if I want financial advice I should only go to someone who has demonstrated financial success. If IContinue reading “True Wisdom and Strength”

Almost every day I come across people who look like they have lost hope. Their faces are downcast and they shuffle their feet as they walk. They generally avert their eyes as someone approaches. Sometimes they spend their time sitting on a bench alone. I often wonder what circumstances brought them to this place inContinue reading “Bringing Hope”

Have you ever listened to the way we talk to each other? Our speech is full of sarcasm and mostly good natured teasing. One problem is that we don’t recognize when we have gone too far and actually hurt someone. When did cutting someone down become a national pastime? Do we have to belittle othersContinue reading “Intentional Peace”

I have found myself in a lot of bad places in my life. I have been on the wrong side of town late at night. I have been surrounded by evil many times. Sometimes I have been lost with no idea how to make it to my destination. At times I have been face toContinue reading “Best Place to Be”

Pride and selfishness lead to conflict. When I strive to serve my own desires, inevitably I will anger or hurt someone. However, when I honor and serve others, I live in harmony with them, In our culture we seem to have things backwards a lot. We respect celebrities and denigrate the down and out. ManyContinue reading “Right Thinking”

We went to Costco today, along with a hundred of our closest friends. I am not usually tempted to buy things that I don’t need right away. That’s not the problem. The problem is that things that I do buy there seemingly last forever. We have to buy the bulk sizes and there are justContinue reading “Costco”

What determines the level of commitment that we have to some project or cause? I may serve a cause for a short time with minimal effort. Or I can give considerable work over an extended time for another project. What accounts for the difference? In my case, and maybe yours, the degree of passion IContinue reading “Commitment”

I am not a polished public speaker. The words that I use are often incorrect. I speak in a monotone. I don’t have any particular flair or charisma. Yet, I have spoken to audiences in China, Vietnam, Nepal, Thailand, India, Australia and the United States. Despite my obvious weaknesses, audiences seem to appreciate the messagesContinue reading “Right Words”

We lived in Nepal for eight years. Friends would come all the way there from time to time. Most people wanted to see the Himalayas. So we would take them up to the roof and they would look to the north. Many were initially disappointed that they couldn’t see the mountains. However, we would tellContinue reading “Where Can I Find Help?”