decision

by

What’s Really Behind Decision-Making

This post is from February 2014. Every now and then I re-post an old article when my schedule is too busy.

The other day my wife, Lily, and I decided to look at living room furniture. We are on a little bit of a roll right now, just completing the final touches of our bathroom renovation that got downgraded to painting and changing a light fixture.  

really

Still, being in that remodelling mood, we decided to look at a couch Lily has been eyeing for ten years or more. I think there’s a few reasons we ended up looking at the couch now.  

The first reason is that I saw a rowing machine in a flyer and Lil saw my eyes get big. I also kept the flyer around and made mention of how good the price was.  

When my wife sees that scenario happening it’s like a perfect storm to her. The pressure to purchase comes in waves that are unrelenting. And so to try to divert this storm, she stated that there will be no big purchases made until we get new living room furniture.

I say she’s just a wuss who can’t take a little stormy weather.  

But the other reason we decided to look at furniture is that I’ve made it public that our living room couch is 28 years old. In the last few months, I’ve blogged about it, referenced it in two sermons, and the ultimate, I’ve sat on it.

Our living room furniture has lasted, but all good things come to an end and I think we are at that point with our stuff.  

In no time, I found myself transported to a furniture store that Lily seemed to know quite well. In fact, she seemed to know it better than I expected her to.  

She headed straight to the living room section and, before I could peel myself away from the 70 inch TV that was turned to the Olympics, she was talking to a salesperson.

She had her eyes on a sofa and, even worse, she was sitting down on it. The salesperson was a nice senior lady who seemed very accommodating. She may have recognized a sucker as soon as we entered, or maybe she was just very experienced in her work.

She agreed with us on everything we said so it seemed she was on our side and not working for the store at all.  

We complained at how the love seat price was only one hundred dollars less than the sofa yet it was only two thirds the size – that means two thirds the wood, stuffing and material. What’s with that?

By the end of our visit I wanted to buy the sofa right there. I wasn’t sure whether it was because I liked it, or that I thought Lily liked it, or that I wanted to buy it from the nice lady who seemed like she really wanted to sell it to us.  

I knew, however, we weren’t going to buy that day. Lil would never buy anything without checking prices in two, three or more other stores. We may also have to revisit this store a few times before we make a decision. 

Then again, it may be another 10 years before we actually settle on getting new furniture.

Here’s the thing:  There are many influences on our decision-making. Today I read in my devotions that the heart is most deceitful and incurable (Jeremiah 17:9-10). It’s so easy for our hearts to be influenced away from what God wants. We need to be vigilant at constantly working with the Holy Spirit for control of our heart.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What influences you in making decisions? Leave your comment below.

by

That Decision Was Not A Good One

Bad decisions lead to more bad decisions if you don’t stop to evaluate your past decisions.

There are so many good things about Canada that I could just continually write posts about this country and never stop.

But that’s not to say that Canada doesn’t have some things that are not so good. 

Canada has been a leader in many ways over the decades, but there is an area we are not good in.

As a country, we did a lousy job picking a national animal. 

Apparently, every country has an animal associated with it – lions are a popular choice. Some have bears … big strong animals. Some countries have chosen birds – often powerful birds.  

There are some countries who have chosen animals I’ve never heard of before like the huemul, which turns out to be a type of deer. 

Oh, there are fictitious animals, too – the unicorn and the Chinese dragon.

But Canada chose for its national animal … the Beaver!  

No, not the Jerry Mathers “Leave It To Beaver”. We chose the furry, tree chopping, damn building, long-toothed beaver. 

With all the great animals we have in Canada, who in the world decided that our national animal would be the second largest rodent in the world?

If we were going with rodents, why not pick the largest rodent? 

It would figure that Canada only has the second largest rodent in the world. We had to settle for silver over gold once again. 

And what about the other animal that is associated with Canada? – the Canada goose.  

Here is a bird species that looks great when flying in “V” formation on its way to the USA for the winter, but to have them hanging around on your property is a disaster!

Canada geese must eat a lot because they leave a lot of large deposits on grass, in parks, and on golf course greens. 

Nobody wants to see Canada geese on the ground, and you better keep your eyes peeled if they are in the air! 

Who made the decision to choose animals like these to be engrained in our society and engraved on our coins as national symbols? 

If we wanted to be different or really stand out, we could have chosen Ogopogo or Sasquatch. There is a lot of mystery around these creatures, but at least they don’t do us any harm … at least as far as we know. 

A national animal is supposed to be a unifying image, chosen carefully, considering ecology and culture, among other things. 

When you think about Canada, you think of nice, polite people who are friendly and welcomed all over the world – except not so much in China right now. 

… Yet we picked animals that are a nuisance and destructive! 

I don’t know if there is any way we could form a protest group and get the government to change our national animal, but maybe we should try. 

We could choose the bunny rabbit because that’s more in line with our Prime Minister’s personality. It could be a cute, pink bunny. 

Look, our government is re-writing history in all kinds of areas; let’s re-write it in a way that makes sense. 

We need a new national animal. Sorry Beaver.

Here’s the thing: It might be difficult to change mistakes in the political realm. We have to live with them. But with God, if we are willing to own our wrong actions and decisions, there is forgiveness and a way forward, away from the past. We must first acknowledge where we’ve gone wrong and want to make a change. It doesn’t have to be difficult. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What bad decision do you need to own and then change? Leave your comments below.

by

I Knew I Was Making A Bad Decision

Sometimes you know when you are making a bad decision, but you make it anyway.

I’m not sure why we do it. Maybe it’s because our desire or want or hope is greater than our reasoning at the time.

We do it frequently though, even if it’s just that extra dessert, or extra helping of potatoes that ends up sitting in our gut like a rock for the rest of the day.

There are times we are pressured into making a decision we don’t think is the best. We just can’t keep saying no, so we cave in.

But I think the worst is when we make a decision that goes against our better judgement with no pressure and lots of time to rationally think it through.

I did that a few weeks ago. 

One of the guys I play hockey with on Saturday mornings entered a team in a tournament … and I said yes to playing.

I knew that saying yes meant playing more hockey in one day than would be good for me.

I also was unsure how my knee would hold up playing all day long. I have a torn ACL that I wear a custom brace for. But as I have gotten older, I have found that my knee is not as strong as it was twenty years ago.

As a result, now I will not play hockey two days in a row, just to give my knee a rest. 

A tournament would tax it for sure. 

I discovered that we were guaranteed three games in this tournament and yet I still said yes. Even when I gave the organizer my money for the tourney, I said to him, “This goes against my better judgement.” 

What was I thinking?

I know what I wasn’t thinking. I wasn’t thinking that I’m almost 63 years of age, and no longer have boundless, unlimited energy. 

I wasn’t thinking that I had a heart attack seven years ago and that hockey is not the greatest sport for the heart. 

The idea of playing hockey all day still resonated with my emotions, but my body and mind were screaming, “Who are you kidding, Paul?!”

I got myself so into the idea that when I heard we were going to have three full lines I was disappointed – disappointed because that would mean I wouldn’t get that much ice time. 

What was I thinking? Playing three games in one day, I’ll get all the ice time I need and then some. I will be so hockey-d out after three games that I will want to take a break from the ice for a couple of weeks.

The decision to play in this tournament was purely based in some recesses of my 25 year old psyche, that grabbed control of my 62 year old mind and wrestled it into a tap out hold that I couldn’t say no to.

At any rate, I was in and the tourney is just about to get underway. What have I done?(read about it here)

Here’s the thing: Sometimes we get pressured, played or simply convinced to do something that God would not approve of. Sometimes we just have a desire or want that leads us where we should not go. But sometimes we just walk head on into sin – no excuse, no one or thing to blame. We just make a bad decision. God can forgive those sins too. Don’t think you can’t go to Him and repent.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What have you done lately that you have no excuse for? Leave your comments below. 

by

The Dilemma Of Making A Decision

I’m a little torn this morning. I have a day off and my dilemma today is, “Do I go for a bike ride or play hockey?”

It’s that time of season where I can choose. In a couple of months there will be no choice; it will be hockey or nothing. But today the sun is shining and it’s still warm outside.

That gets me in the mood for a good bike ride and I haven’t ridden in over a week.

But on the other hand, pick-up hockey has started and it’s been a long time since April when I last laced up the skates. I’m kind of excited to get back at it for another season.

On the one hand, there will be fewer and fewer opportunities to hit the trails on my mountain bike. The weather will start to be more unpredictable, and the shortened daylight will make it harder to get in a ride before it’s dark.

So I should really get out there and enjoy the trails while I can, before it’s too late and my bike gets packed away for the winter.

On the other hand, there is something about arriving at the arena in shorts and sandals, and the contrast of the cold temperature inside and the warmth of the sun outside.

It’s a tough decision to make on your day off when you just want to chill and do something fun. Having to make a choice makes it a little like work and less like fun.

You know, I probably have the time to do both today if I really want to. Though, I think I would get a little bit of objection from Lily, who would like to spend some time with me today.

If this was a work decision that I had to make, I would probably be praying about it. I might be conferring with a few other people to get their input. I would certainly make a list of pros and cons for each decision.

I might catch a cold playing hockey going between the extreme temperatures. Or I could get a flat tire in the middle of the bush and have to walk my bike out. I have to play hockey at a certain time, but I can go biking whenever it fits best with my agenda today.

The bottom line, however, is I’m going to get sweaty no matter what I do. It will also take about the same amount of time whichever activity I choose.

I have to get off the couch and out of the house regardless of the type of exercise I decide to put my body through.

And I win no matter what I end up giving myself to.

Wow, I still don’t know what I’m going to do today. All I know is I better make a decision before the decision is taken away from me.

… If I wait too long one option will be off the table.

Here’s the thing: Making a decision for God is important, because then God will work with you, steer you, guide and direct you. But if you delay too long in making your decision, there might come a time when the option to decide is off the table.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question:  What have you had a difficult time deciding on in the last three months? Leave your comment below.

by

How To Judge A Restaurant

There is more to a restaurant than the food. The last couple of weeks, my wife Lily and I have eaten out more than we normally do.

jesmond-restaurant

We’ve eaten out in restaurants from Quebec City to Sauble Beach and I’ll tell you the food that is served has a huge impact on the whole experience.

But almost equally as important as the food is the service. In fact, I would say the service contributes about 50 percent to the eating out adventure.

In our travels, we’ve run the gamut. However, there is a general rule that the finer the restaurant, the better the service. The operative word there is “general”; it’s not always the case, but it is the usual fare.

When fine dining, you have to consider the decor and ambiance, for they are just as crucial to the whole experience as the food and service. … We had an amazing dinner in Old Quebec City that had all the elements working together in perfect harmony.

But we’ve had a couple of less than perfect experiences as well. For instance, the other night we chose to eat out in one of the fabulous restaurants in Sauble Beach. (There are only three.)

In that establishment service was at a minimum. The server took a while to even come by our table to acknowledge our presence in their fine establishment.

While service was at a minimum, water was obviously at a premium because of how long it took our waitress to get it to our table – not to mention that we discovered that water was not refillable … because she never refilled our glasses!

The food was okay for me, but not very good for Lil. And though Lily went on about the food, it was equally the service that made for an unenjoyable time.

When it came time for the bill, we couldn’t get out of the place fast enough. I started the process and received a kick from under the table. A bruise would come about from that kick and it would be in the shape of letters that read, “Don’t give her a good tip.”

I felt those words before I could read them, so I slashed what I normally tip in half.

My daughter once worked in the restaurant business so I know how important tips are to servers. I normally give 20%, but this gal only got 10 from us.

I rarely do that, but she really worked hard at making me feel it was the right thing to do.

In golf they say that putting is half the game. You take the same number of shots to travel a few hundred yards as you do to get the ball to travel 30 feet into the hole.

In the restaurant business it’s the same thing. If you’ve got a great menu but lousy service, it’s not going to appeal to too many people.

We’re now down to frequenting two restaurants in Sauble.

Here’s the thing: There are a lot of people who have prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their saviour, yet their life has not changed very much. They have a hard time identifying how they have grown in Christ. That’s because a decision to follow Christ is not all there is to it. It’s not merely a decision we make; it’s incorporating that decision into everyday living that creates the atmosphere for a changed life – a life that truly has been saved by Christ. Make sure your life embodies what you claim to be true, Jesus as your Lord.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you do when you see inconsistencies in your life? Leave your comment below.