Wisdom-Trek ©

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 44 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life (Part 1)

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 44 of our Trek, and for the next few days we will continue our Trek to look at how changing our thinking can dramatically change our lives.

We are recording our podcast on Sunday from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was good to be in town and attend our regular church today. To be part of a faith-based community where you have friends that love and care for you is important. I would encourage you to make it a regular habit to join a community of friends and family where you share common values and beliefs.  We are designed to be part of a tribe for fellowship and strength.

As we continue our thoughts about thinking, we are beginning a several day trek today during which we will stop at twelve waypoints or rest areas along the trail. At each waypoint, we will have the occasion to reflect on and change how we think.  By changing our thinking, these waypoints will allow us to change our lives in a positive direction. Eleven of the waypoints that are used were taken from John Maxwell’s book How Successful People Think.  The discussions for those waypoints will be based on the perspectives and wisdom that I have gained through a life of studying wise individuals that have trekked the trails of life and provided us wisdom and insights from their journeys.

Before we reach our first waypoint let us contemplate this question. Can changing your thinking really change your life? As I have studied and observed wise and unwise people for over 35 years now, i have found there is a distinct difference between wise and successful people and unwise and unsuccessful people. It usually boils down to how they think! Correct thinking is the one thing that separates the wise from the unwise and the successful from the unsuccessful.

As we wander down a rabbit trail a bit further, I think it is necessary to explain a little about how we will view each of these waypoints.  I will be using a wise and successful person as equivalent, or the same. In order to do this, we must first separate in our thoughts that a successful person is not necessarily just a wealthy person. Wealth does not determine overall success in a person’s life.  Now, those individuals that are wise, many times, are also wealthy. This is because of the wise financial choices that they have made during their lives. But, there are many individuals who are wealthy financially, but are not successful in the most important areas of their lives. This is because they have made unwise choices in areas that matter most. Proverbs 28:11 says, "Rich people may think they are wise, but a poor person with discernment can see right through them."

To be truly successful we need to have achieved success in all areas of life.  We need to have a well-rounded "wheel of life" so that our overall ride in life is smooth. In future Wisdom-Trek podcasts, we will explore how to be successful in all areas of life, but for this week’s journey, let’s focus on the 12 waypoints along our trail in order to change our thinking and change our lives.

The good news is that it’s possible for you to learn how to think like a wise and successful person. But, before you can learn from a good thinker, you need to know what he looks like.

For me, the primary trait of a good thinker is a person who blends his wisdom and experience into every thought that he has and every decision that he makes. In addition to wisdom and experience, I believe that good thinking isn’t just one thing. It consists of several specific thinking skills.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 43 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

The Results of Thinking Big

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast and journal. This is Day 43 of our Trek, and for the next few days, we will continue our trek about how significantly our thinking impacts our lives, both today and into eternity.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and this weekend Granny and Gramps had the privilege of watching our grandson Kiprono.  His given name is Harold Guthrie Chamberlain, V, but he goes by his Kenyan name Kip for short. Our daughter-in-law Chelimo is from Kenyan heritage and married to our oldest son Harry. Harry and Kip listen to Wisdom-Trek (or as Kip calls them Gramps’ Wisdom Tracks) on their way to preschool each day.  It is a blessing to be closely involved with our grown children and grandchildren. As we have continued opportunity to positively impact our family, one of the areas that we have always emphasized is how important thinking properly is. In addition to the science or power of thinking big, by changing our thinking we can literally change our lives.

It looks like the trail ahead today has some big boulders that we need to consider.  Will these boulders prevent us on our Trek, or will we use them to our advantage as we learn to enjoy the journey each day? Big boulders or obstacles give us the opportunity to think big, achieve big, and succeed big. To me the ability to "Think BIG" is one of the cornerstones of extreme success.

As we consider the concept of thinking big, we have to understand that there is effort exerted in thinking big or small. Take advantage of economies of scale. In many cases, thinking big and taking action on large tasks takes no more time and effort than working on small tasks. But, the results are much bigger and better, and the achievement is greater. I have seen people that have worked harder thinking about how to get out of doing something than if they would just think big and do the work.

It can be much easier to succeed by thinking big, rather than thinking small. So many individuals are thwarted in life because their thinking is so confined and small.  I realize that not everyone has the opportunity to travel and stretch themselves and their world by experiencing other peoples and cultures. With today’s technology, though, there is no reason that you cannot expand your horizons and thinking through virtual travel and experiences. It is literally at our fingertips today.

How to Think and Achieve Big

1. Be Positive and Fearless

Negative or fearful thoughts produce small thinking. Think positively. Eliminate the word "impossible." Successful big thinkers come up with reasons why they "can." Others find reasons why they "can’t."  

Whichever way you think, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Big thinkers see problems as a challenge, and any challenge as an opportunity.  Their big thinking creates unlimited possibilities, alternatives, and solutions. Turn your attention to being brave, bold and optimistic. I realize that Mark 10:27 is specifically dealing with the salvation experience, but the truth is still applicable if we are pursuing a right course of action for our lives. "Jesus looked at them intently and said, 

2. Visualize Without Restraint

It is not a lack of resources that holds people back but a lack of resourcefulness. A big thinker visualizes what is possible in the future, rather than being stuck in the present or mired in the past. Look at things not as they are now, but as they can be – without constraints. This mental rehearsal gives you a compelling taste of what your vision will be like in reality,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 42 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

The Science of Thinking Big

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast and journal. This is Day 42 of our Trek, and for the next few days, we are going ponder the science or concept of thinking big versus thinking small and how dramatically our thinking impacts us today and through eternity.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. As we end another week and start a new one, I like to reflect on what I was able to accomplish and look forward in anticipation to what I can accomplish in the next week. I ask myself, "What actions can I take to impact my world for good this coming week?"  Many times our Trek is to just continue on what we are doing, to take one step after another, and to be faithful and consistent in doing what is right, just, and fair in every interaction or transaction that we have.  Small incremental actions consistently practiced each day will have an enormous impact over time.

So let’s start up the trail today on our Wisdom-Trek to continue to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before and to leave a living legacy each day. As we start on the trail today we see the huge mountains before us.  As we view these mountains we can look at them in one of two ways.  We can say:

These mountains are so huge that I will never be able to scale them

Or, we can look at the challenge before us with excitement and enthusiasm and think, "What a great day it is to Trek to the summit and see the beautiful view that waits for me there!"

Today’s trek is about the science of thinking big versus thinking small. I call it a science because it has been proven continually that what we think about a situation, or indeed life, largely determines how it will turn out.  Now, if you find yourself in a valley of despair at the moment and desire to scale to the mountain peaks, it may take some time.  As with everything in life, we need to take it one step at a time. Given enough time, being persistent and consistent, we can even move mountains.  An old Chinese Proverb puts it this way,   So, regardless of where you are on your trek, start carrying away small stones, and soon the mountains will be moved.

As a person of faith, I recognize there is also clear evidence from Scripture that our thinking or faith has a major impact on the outcomes in our lives. I always want to be very careful that I do not take verses of Scripture out of context in order to fit my point, but there are many instances within Scripture where Christ taught that our thinking, or faith, was a contributing factor in the outcome of healings and other miracles.

Now, I do not profess to fully understand how our thinking and/or faith intertwine with the sovereign will of God. I realize that people with great faith still become ill or have other problems in life, seemingly outside of their control. Things break down and fall apart, whether it is a car, washing machine, or even our bodies.  This is due to the fact that we are part of a fallen world, and that there are certain "laws of nature" that God allows to play out in our lives. Obviously, the better we take care of any of these, the better chance that they will not break down as quickly.

Even though I do not fully understand the mind of God in many matters, I do understand there is a direct correlation between our thinking and beliefs (or faith) and the results. One example of this is when Christ disciples were unable to heal a demon possessed boy in Matthew 17:19-20, "Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, 'Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?'  'You don’t have enough faith,' Jesus told them. 'I tell you the truth,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 41 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

How to Become a Mentor

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 41 of our Trek, and today we are going to trek down the paths that will allow us to become leaders or mentors to others.

Today we are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Today was a very hot day in North Carolina with temperatures over 100°. Although we usually work entirely at our home, we ventured out into the heat to visit a friend in need and to pick up a new pair of eye glasses for me.   The optometrist said they give me the Clark Kent look from Superman, which I guess is okay with me. This would actually fit my personality rather well since, as I remember, the old Superman episodes always referred to him as "the mild mannered Clark Kent. Of all of the superheroes, Superman is still my favorite.

Well, since I do not have any real superpowers myself, let’s break camp for today and head onto the trails of life.  We want to consider the three character traits required which to create a living legacy. In order to create a legacy, we must be able to lead or mentor others.  In order to lead and mentor others, we need to traverse certain trails, or you might say put into practice certain habits that will allow us to attain the status of a leader and mentor. I will be so brash today as to say that we cannot positively lead or mentor others unless we hike these three trails on a regular basis.

The model for our wisdom nuggets today, which shows us the three trails that we will travel, are learned from a Hebrew priest Ezra who was taken into exile in Babylon by King Artaxerxes. Ezra was allowed to return to Jerusalem to assess the city’s condition. In chapter 7 verses 8-10, "Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in August of that year. He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the New Year, and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel."

Verse 10 gives us the pattern to follow in order to become leaders and mentors.

1. Learn it

Our first trail that we will explore is the "Learn It" trail. Before you can ever hope to lead or mentor others you must first learn the practical lessons of life and grow in wisdom yourself. You need to foster the spirit of continual learning within yourself. With the resources that are available using today’s technology, there is no excuse for remaining unlearned or ignorant in any area of life. In fact as rapidly as the world is changing, if you are not continually learning, then you will quickly lose your skills and, therefore, your value in many areas of life.

Be a lifelong student. Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. "The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young," Henry Ford.

The more you learn, the more you earn, and the more self-confidence you will have.  Learning does take self-discipline. In fact Proverbs 12:1 says, "To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction." And Proverbs 18:15 puts it this way, "Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge." As we look back at Ezra 7:10, we see that "Ezra had determined to study."

2. Live It

The second trail that we explore is the "Live It" trail. You need to apply what you have learned to your life and live it each day. It needs to become part of the very fabric of your life. What actually generates tangible results in your life is to regularly and consistently apply...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 40 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Stepping off the Cliff

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 40 of our Trek, and today we are going to learn how to land on your feet when you step off the cliff.

Today we are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Paula and I are settled back into our routines in North Carolina and focused on the client work that keeps us busy each day.  Preparing for this daily podcast and journal continues to go well, but it does require a significant amount of time each day. It is our goal to get a couple of weeks of episodes prepared in advance if possible.  It may take us a while to reach that goal.

Today as we consider the topic of stepping or maybe even slipping off a cliff, we need to consider how we are going to handle it in advance.  Taking risks and the changes it brings, can be intimidating, even scary for some.  Life is about having the faith to move forward, even when the path ahead is not clear or solid. To grow in wisdom, we need to gain the confidence to continue as we take one more step, even when the trail before us is shrouded with fog, and we cannot see our way. During those times, it is easy to lose our footing and not know how to recover.

So, let’s break camp and continue on our trail of life. Visualize we are hiking up a long, winding trail on a beautiful mountainside.  The flowers are wafting their summer scents through the warm air.  The hummingbirds are darting to and fro, seemingly effortless in their flight.  The path is not smooth, but the rocks do not hinder your progress.  Occasionally, a tree limb or root causes a short detour.  We navigate around these minor obstructions and get back onto the path, winding its way to the peak.

As you round a sharp corner in front of you the trail suddenly narrows.  As you place one sure foot in front of the other, there is a drop off that appears before you. There is sheer rock below you for hundreds of feet. It startles you as a few loose pebbles finds its way down into the apparently bottomless span before you. Then one of your feet slips, and you start to tumble.

Scary situation, isn't it?  It makes my heart pound just to ponder it!

Life’s Trek can be similar to this.  Most days we can easily navigate across small detours, and it is easy enough to get back on the path.  Some seasons though… as we traverse the trail before us, on this Trek we call "life," dark shadows falls across our way.  Some days we face torrential rainstorms that prevent any evident progress.  Yet we must press on and on, ever upward. But what about that cliffs of life?  What happens when we lose our footing or we step off the cliff?

Stepping off of a cliff is analogous to any major life change.  How is the best way to deal with those changes so that you land on your feet and can walk away with little collateral damage?

Accept the Change

The most surefire way to make a big change more difficult for yourself is to fight it. Although having a hard time letting go is a natural reaction, a desire to live in the past will only cause more pain and prolong the adjustment period. Instead of dwelling on what you're leaving behind on the solid path, such as a home, a job, close family, or security — focus on getting through the change right now and create a positive future. In order to do that successfully, you must first accept the reality that your life will no longer be the same.   

Find Time for Reflection

Whether it's journaling, meditation, prayer, Bible study, taking long walks on your own,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 39 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

The Secret Sauce of Success - Part 2

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 39 of our Trek. Yesterday and today we are looking at the 20 ingredients that make up the secret sauce that will make you successful.  Just like secret sauces being applied to a good BBQ or steak, the ingredients that make up the Wisdom-Trek Secret Sauce should be applied to both our personal and business lives to help make us successful. We need these ingredients to permeate our very essences so that it brings out the best in everything that we do.

If you missed yesterday’s podcast or journal, make sure you listen to it or read the journal so you will learn what the first 10 ingredients are.  As mentioned yesterday, apply these ingredients and then be authentic, be transparent, and be the person that you would like to see in others.

Today we are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The workload continues to be very brisk as we are helping to ramp up a new construction project in Mesa, Arizona, along with a heavy workload with our other clients.  Life is never boring, and daily we must remind ourselves to enjoy every step of the journey.  That is what makes life worth living.

After mixing the first 10 ingredients into our secret sauce yesterday, today we will finish by adding the remaining 10 ingredients. The sauce is already starting to taste really awesome, and if we apply this sauce to our lives when we are finished, we will radiate success in every area.

Well, it’s time to break camp and look for the remaining 10 ingredients as we head on out on our Trek for today. The core ingredients we are using were adapted from ideas shared by Dan Walschmidt, author of the book Edgy Conversations.  I have modified this list and added my own years of experience and wisdom to these items.  Today we will mix in the remaining 10 ingredients that make our Secret Sauce for Success.

Here are the remaining 10 ingredients for our Secret Sauce for Success:

You have to deliver results when making excuses is an option. – To be successful, we cannot fall prey to making excuses as is so readily done today.  Take responsibility for your actions, and do everything with excellence.  As I have worked with team members within our businesses throughout the years, and with my own children, I have tried to emphasize that in everything I expected results, not excuses.    The only way to learn how to ride a horse is to get back on every time you fall off. "It’s easier to go ahead and succeed than it is to spend all the time and energy it takes making excuses," Jim Rohn. Success = No Excuses.

You have to search for your own explanations even when you’re told to accept the “facts.” To be successful, it is not always wise to just accept what you have been told, even if it is supposedly a fact. Discover the results for yourself. Forge a new path on your trek of life. "Discoveries are often made by not following instructions; by going off the main road; by trying the untried," Frank Tyger.

You have to make mistakes and look like an idiot. There is nothing wrong with making honest mistakes, even if it casts you in a negative light. A life making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.  Although none of us want to look like an idiot, we need to put away our pride and the façade that we try to portray to make us look better. We should not be afraid of making mistakes, but be afraid if we are not learning from those mistakes.  Face it. You are going to make mistakes in life. It’s what you do after the mistakes that really counts.  So,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 38 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

The Secret Sauce of Success - Part 1

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast.  This is Day 38 of our Trek, today and tomorrow we are going to look at the 20 ingredients that make up the secret sauce which will make you successful.  These sauces can be applied to both personal and business success.

I feel strongly that it is not wise, if even possible, to compartmentalize your life into specific boxes or areas.  We are a whole person with different areas of focus throughout a single day.  To be a truly successful person, all areas of life need to be tightly integrated and use the same moral code. Values and integrity must be woven through the fabric of your entire life.  Just as we cannot separate our body, soul, and mind, we cannot separate the areas of our life.  What we do in one area of life impacts all areas.  Be authentic. Be transparent. Be the person that you would like to see in others.

Today we are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. On Sunday we drove back from Marietta with a stopover in Covington, Virginia, for church, a church potluck, and to pick up Paula’s mom who spent the week with Paula’s sister Lois, so they could visit other family members.

Let’s break camp now and head on out on our Trek for today.  I recently read an article by Dan Walschmidt, author of the book Edgy Conversations, which listed several items to be successful.  I have adapted this list and added my years of experience and wisdom to these items.  Today and tomorrow we will sample the 20 ingredients that make up the Secret Sauce for Success.

You have to make decisions you’re afraid to make. – All of us have fear to a certain extent.  Some people are less risk tolerant than others, but unless the decision will cause bodily harm or death to you or others, then you should make the difficult and fearful decisions. Move forward with a decision based on the knowledge and experience you have at that point. . From a Biblical perspective, fear should not be an overriding character trait in us, especially if you are a person of faith. In 2 Timothy 1:7 the Apostle Paul wrote to his protégé Timothy, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."

You have to get up earlier than you want to get up. – As a morning person this is not a significant problem for me, but for my wife Paula it is much more difficult. I have long since learned that she will never be one, and that is fine.  It’s not that you have to get up early every day, but to be successful, you must get up earlier than you would really like to.  Most mornings, I desire to sleep longer. I think most people do, but it takes sacrifice to live a successful life.

You have to give more than you get in return right away.  The principle of life is that you have to give first before you will see a return. Proverbs 11:25 puts it this way, "The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed."

You have to care more about others than they care about you. If your desire for success is driven from selfishness, then you will be frustrated most of the time and probably not successful long term.  In all areas of life, we should care for others just because of our concern for them. This is true in both personal and business capacities. The rules are always the same for both. Philippians 2:3 reads, "Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too."

You have to fight when you are already injured, bloody, and sore.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 37 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Wisdom from Ben Franklin - Part 5

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast.  This is Day 37 of our Trek, and in honor of Independence Day in the United States, Friday we started a 5-day series of episodes during which we are consulting one of our founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, who was known for his wisdom and practical sage advice.  Today we are finishing up that series.

Today we are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio.  We are looking forward to being back at Home2 for about 12 days to work on some projects there before returning to The Big House in Mid-July for a little over three weeks.  We have a lot planned for the remainder of the summer, and my hope is that you are living life to the fullest also. Regardless of what you may have planned, make sure you plan to enjoy every moment. Life slips by all too quickly for us.

On our Trek today, we finish up our examination of the 85 practical tips written by Benjamin Franklin called The Way of Wealth. In order to keep our daily Wisdom-Trek near the 7 minute length, I have split up the remaining tips over the past two days, so this series is one day longer than expected.  I hope you don’t mind. I want to keep our daily wisdom nuggets short and digestible. So, let’s venture on our trail today as we examine steps 72-85.

When consumed regularly like nutritional supplements, these nuggets of truth and wisdom will enhance our bodies and minds. This will allow us to live in such a manner that we will be creating a living legacy each day.

Lying rides upon debt’s back. – As we think about our hiking analogy, debt becomes our heavy backpack. But, instead of the backpack being filled with the essential gear needed to make our Trek both safe and enjoyable, it is filled with useless items and rocks that weigh us down, providing little benefit. We then have to lie to ourselves and others to justify the burdensome life that we have chosen when we decide to borrow needlessly.

‘Tis hard for an empty bag to stand upright. – If your life is an empty shell without value and substance, then it is difficult to stand strong when the winds of life blow. We need to have a strong internal compass, a moral code and values that we live by. We must have integrity and never compromise it. Proverbs 10:9 reminds, "People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed."

Creditors have better memories than debtors. – If you borrow money, never lie to yourself that you won’t have to pay it back or that your loan somehow will be forgiven. Although we may conveniently forget, those that loan the money to us will not.

The borrower is a slave to the lender, and the debtor to the creditor. – Now old Ben took this one straight from the Bible. Any time you put yourself into subjection of another person or organization for any purpose, you voluntarily become their slave or bond servant. To my knowledge, no one can ever be forced to borrow money. You may feel you have no choice, but that is one of the lies that we tell ourselves. We may choose to borrow, or we can choose to radically change our lives to a new paradigm and not borrow the money.  Proverbs 22:7 indicates, "Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender."

Disdain the chain, preserve your freedom, and maintain your independency. Be industrious and free; be frugal and free. – Debt becomes a chain that binds so that we are no longer free. There is no alternative.

Poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue. – Poverty is often more a mindset than a reality. You can have very little as far as material means,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 36 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Wisdom from Ben Franklin - Part 4

Hello and welcome to Wisdom-Trek! This is Guthrie Chamberlain, and I am your Guide to Wisdom. Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast.  This is Day 36 of our Trek, and in honor of Independence Day in the United States, Friday we started a 5-day series of episodes in which we are consulting one of our founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, who was known for his wisdom and practical sage advice.

Today we are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio.  It has been a pleasant week although we have been getting a lot of rain in Ohio this summer.  It sure keeps all of the foliage green and nice looking.  We were unable to get started sanding the floor in the Eating Area prior to leaving for North Carolina on Sunday, so that project will be at the top of the list when we return in mid-July.

On our Trek today, we will continue our review of the 85 practical tips written by Benjamin Franklin called The Way of Wealth. In order to keep our daily Wisdom-Trek near the 7 minute length, I have split up the remaining tips over the next two days, so this series will be one day longer than expected.  I hope you don’t mind. I want to keep our daily wisdom nuggets short and digestible. So, let’s venture on our trail today as we examine steps 58-71.

When consumed regularly, these nuggets of truth and wisdom  help us to grow and mature and to become healthy, wealthy, and wise in all areas of life.

Wise men learn by others’ harms, fools scarcely by their own. – When a wise person observes the wrongs done by others, he will learn and not fall trap to the same actions. A foolish person rarely learns from his own mistakes.

Silks and satins, scarlet and velvets put out the kitchen fire. – If you spend money on luxuries when you cannot really afford them (especially if the money is borrowed), then you will not have money for the basic necessities of life when you really need it.

A ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees. – A honest hard working person, even in a common occupation, has more honor than a person of high status that is lazy and unethical. Proverbs 12:11 reminds, "A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense."

Always taking out of the meal-tub, and never putting in, soon comes to the bottom. If we are always taking without giving back, then we will soon find there is nothing left to take. On the converse, if we give generously, we will have plenty to spare. Luke 6:38 reminds, "Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

When the well’s dry, they know the worth of water. – As with most things in life, we don’t really recognize the value of something until it is gone. This could be our health, our wealth, or our relationships. It has been said that

If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some. – While I am not a big proponent of borrowing money with the possible exception of a home purchase, I do realize there are times when it may be a necessity. If you have ever tried to borrow money through conventional channels, especially for a business or other major purposes, you soon realized that the banks require everything that you own or might possibly own as collateral.  If you do need to borrow money, make sure you are realistic and willing to lose everything you own.

He that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing. – This quote is not understood in today’s economy where it is so easy borrow money through a ...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 35 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Wisdom from Ben Franklin - Part 3

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast.  This is Day 35 of our Trek, and in honor of Independence Day in the United States, Friday we started a 5-day series of episodes in which we are consulting one of our founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, who was known for his wisdom and practical sage advice.

Today we are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio.  We have moved into our newly renovated office, and it is great.  The room turned out very nice, and Paula and I are very pleased with the results.  We invested in new windows, new hardwood floors and wainscoting on two of the walls.  Check out the journal page for Day 35 on Wisdom-Trek.com to see some pictures.  Also if you would like to be kept up-to-date on our Wisdom-Trek, please enter your name and email address at the bottom right hand of the sidebar which appears on every page.

On our Trek today, we will continue our review of the 85 practical tips written by Benjamin Franklin called The Way of Wealth. In order to keep our daily Wisdom-Trek near the 7 minute length, I have split up the remaining 40 tips into three days, so this series will be one day longer than expected.  I hope you don’t mind. I want to keep our daily wisdom nuggets short and digestible. So, let’s venture on our trail today as we examine steps 46-57.

These nuggets of truth and wisdom can dramatically impact our lives so that we all can grow in wisdom and insight.

A little neglect may breed great mischief. – If we do not pay attention to what is important in our business and personal lives, then we leave the door open for bad behavior, either from ourselves or others. Don’t neglect your responsibilities in all areas of life.

For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost, and for want of a horse, the rider was lost. – Pay attention to the little details of life before they become big. If we neglect the small matters, whether it is in our marriage, family, health, or work, we will soon find that we have major issues in those areas of life. Life is like a wheel that needs to be well rounded in order for a smooth journey.  If we are faithful in handling the small matters, then we will be given more responsibilities and prosper in life.  Here is a snippet of a parable that Christ told in Matthew 25:23, “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’"  Along our Wisdom-Trek in the future, we will look deeper into the principles of faithfulness and loyalty.

A man may, if he knows not how to save as he gets, keep his nose all his life to the grindstone, and die not worth a groat at last. – The "groat" is the traditional name of a long-defunct English silver coin worth four English pennies. The principle here is that if we do not learn how to save and invest during our lives, we will have to work hard until we die, and we won’t have anything to show for it.  This is not the type of legacy that we should desire.

If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as of getting. – Regardless of how much money you earn in your life if you spend as much or more than you make, you will never be wealthy. You must save throughout your life to gain wealth. It is a mindset, and it is your choice.

What maintains one vice, would bring up two children. – Bad habits of any kind are not good, but especially if they also become a drain on you financially, which most do. Unfortunately we see all too often, how a destructive habit not only destroys the person who is inflicte...