Below are 25 simple activities to LOVE your family. Each one is simple and yet powerful at the same time. Many of them require a little extra time each day, but the results will last a lifetime!

25 Ways to LOVE Your Family

25 – Tell them you love them.

24 – Spend a morning in prayer for your family.

23 – Take your children to breakfast before school.

22 – Take your wife to breakfast/coffee when the children are in school.

21 – Spend time reading a book with your children.

20 – Write a note to your wife.

19 – If you have small children, spend time coloring with them.

18 – Spend time sitting and listening to how everyone’s day went.

17 – Ask for the family’s input before making a decision.

16 – Turn off the TV and play a game together.

15 – Buy them something nice, just because.

14 – Take a walk or a bike ride together.

13 – Look through old family photos together.

12 – Cook dinner together.

11 – Pray together. (Ask everyone what they want to pray for each night.)

10 – Call your family during the day for no particular reason.

9 – Hold your spouse’s hand.

8 – Instead of buying a painting for the wall, print off some photos from family events. (Even landscape photos)

7 – Send a text to your family, once again, just because.

6 – Sit in the yard and watch your children play.

5 – Play in the grass with your children.

4 – Include their ideas into your vacation plans.

3 – Keep a journal of your favorite family memories.

2 – Praise the Lord together!

1 – Tell them many times a day you love them!

Just some thoughts on a Tuesday,

Chris

Enjoy!

Top Ten Words/Phrases I Have Spoken:

10 – “I’m Sorry” – Many times these are the hardest words I have said, but they are the most rewarding. I have spoken these words many times and I am sure I will speak them many more. Sometimes they were after a realization that my pride and ego got in the way and I needed to realize there is someone and/or something greater than myself. I appreciate these words!

9 – “Watch This!” – These words were usually said during the experiences of youth, but also the silliness of adulthood. They were usually followed my scars, bruises and bumps, but never an “official” broken bone. For my southern friends you might say, “Hey ya’ll! Watch this!”

8 – “I think I might preach.” – These words have been spoken several times, and I am still thinking about them daily. I first spoke them when I was in ninth grade as I sat with my dad outside our house in Buckhannon, WV. The next time I spoke them and truly meant them was when I decided to straighten up and attend FHU to receive a degree in Bible. I hope to grow up and preach, even still.

7 – “Whew!” – I spoke this simple word when my heart cath, echocardiogram, stress test and whatever tests I had came back clear and my heart was in tip-top shape. That was 2002 and I am still here! The doctors even proclaimed me as normal! “Whew!”

6 – “The healing starts when you help someone else heal.” – I mentioned these words to my family when one of the hardest times in our family hit.  Each of us have been hurt, but our healing begins when we reach out to others and pull them through the experiences of their life. Help someone today.

5 – “You can do anything you want and I will help you do it.” – I heard this phrase growing up and now I am speaking it to my own children. I want them to understand that God created them for a purpose and they can achieve that purpose if they are found in His Son. I will do whatever I can for them ”spiritually, mentally and physically,” but they still make the choice. I will provide all the resources I can.

4 – “Yes, sir. I do.” – As a 13 year old young man, I stood before a Judge in Buckhannon, WV and made the choice to have my step-father adopt me as his own. I made the choice; no one else did. I changed names and became the son of a Gallagher. I have not regretted this decision, because I choose to do it as a young man. (By the way, that is the first time I have used the phrase “step-father.” It just sent chills down my spine; because to me he is my father, my dad and my hero.)

3 – “Will You Marry Me?” – My knees were shaking and my heart was pounding…and she said, “YES!” My Carolina Cutie was going to be my wife as we journey through this life. Love ya my Carolina Cutie! There are volumes I could write about that day, but I will cherish them for myself right now; maybe later you can hear.

2 – “I Love You!” – These words are spoken to four people more than others. I speak them to Carrie, Alexis, Emma and Caleb because my love for them exceeds any other on this earth. (Sorry ya’ll) They are my physical life and my family of hope and life. Without them I would not be where I am. I love each of you and may God give us more times to say, “I Love You.”

1 – “Thank You.” – This phrase was said on the greatest day of my life. I stood before a group of family and friends, soaking wet and excited about my new life. My life was changed and my hope was firm. The day was October 2nd, 1988. The place was the brick building which housed my spiritual family of the Buckhannon Church of Christ. I had tried to wait as everyone left, but they all heard what was happening and they ran back in. As Darrell Toothman picked me up out of the water, he gave me a hug, I saw the look on my parent’s faces and the only words that came to mind were, “Thank you.” I said that to each member as they hugged my neck and kissed my check. To my Jesus who died for me…..”Thank You.”

Honorable mention: I quick phrase that fits in this list but I was not sure where. The words are simple but the occasion is special. The words were, “I now baptize you….” I have said these words a few times, but one occasion trumps them all. My youngest brother asked me to baptize him and I did. After his baptism I hugged him the best I could (He is 6’4” and I am 5’9”). That day sets apart any baptism I have been asked to do. Thank you Matthew!

Hope you enjoyed tonight’s thoughts!

What would make your Top Ten?

Chris

My passion changed, not because the Steelers won (they were not even playing) but because God was gracious. In 2002, I sat in the cardiac critical care unit of the Jackson-Madison County Hospital in Jackson, Tennessee watching the Super Bowl. There were about a million other places I would like to have been, but I could not. I had to be at the hospital.

To make a long story short, by the time the Super Bowl had begun I had been at the hospital for about 17 hours watching numbers bounce around on monitors – my monitors. When I first came to the hospital I was diagnosed with a heart attack, and the severity of the diagnosis was only made greater with the doctor’s choice of words,

“Mr. Gallagher, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being a massive heart attack, you have had an 8.5.”

With those words, I looked at Carrie, my bride of five year, and my daughter Alexis, one and a half years old, and felt my world come crashing to a halt. Nothing else mattered expect those two people sitting in front of me; my family.

From that moment until seventeen hours later, everything was as smooth sailing as the “heart attack ocean would allow. Then it happened! As I was watching the Super Bowl, a laser sharp pain drove itself into my chest. Despite all the blood thinners, morphine and needles being jammed into my stomach, along with what ever else the nurses were throwing at me, the pain grew stronger.

Finally, the room began to draw dark. It was the blackness of tunnel vision I had read about before. While the room faded to black, I said my prayer, asked God to take of my family and turned my thoughts to Carrie and Alexis. As I closed my eyes, I waited. I waited to see someone from the other side of life, but I never did. When my eyes finally closed shut and milliseconds had passed, I heard the words I dreaded (but needed) to hear, “Get the cart!” I knew what “the cart” meant and that was all I needed. I was going to be subjected to the power of two electric paddles jolting through my body to bring my back to life. Upon hearing two words, “the cart,” my thoughts were, “ABSOUTELY NOT!”

The next few moments are hidden deep where only God knows; maybe I blacked out, maybe my heart stopped beating or maybe I have simply forgotten, but my mind is blank. All I remember is hearing a nurse say my name, pull on my big toe and ask me if I was still around. I casually said, “Yes.” When opened my eyes, I saw it – the cart. It was sitting at the side of the bed with the power levels on full. Seconds more and I would have been zapped, but God was good!

The next day brought a heart cath. followed by good and bad news:

Good news: No blockage, no damage, nothing. My arteries were clean.

Bad news: The doctors could not explain that happened; but I was informed that if I had not been in the hospital my life would have ended.

Well, I could explain what happened, prayer! The Bible says the “effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Believe me, it does! I knew there was something greater than my wonderful doctors that day. The One who made my heart was holding it together.

After a barrage of test over a six month period of time, I had my diagnosis, “a viral cardiomyopathy, we think.” Did you notice those last two words, “we think?” Those were restful words to my ears: “we think.” (I am being sarcastic of course) Another nine months of tests showed nothing and the doctors proclaimed me normal. Yes, folks, I am normal. It is written in my medical chart and I can prove it.

While I do not know the “whys,” the “hows,” or much else regarding that Super Bowl Sunday, I do know this -> God was there and He blessed me when I deserved no blessing.

My passion changed that day! My passion for my work grew stronger. My passion to see my family after this life abounds more and more each day. My passion changed from everything to one thing – HOPE!

There is hope even when we see no hope! Hope is not a word for wishing, it is expecting confidently what you cannot see. The present reality is nothing to be compared to the boundless hope of future opportunities. The end which awaits is greater than the present beginning. Your changing life will be met by a changeless hope, because of a changeless God.

The hope of a better life is met with the opportunity for it to be better – all you have to do is look! Look not at yourself in a mirror, but see the reflection of God. The morning sunrise reveals his overnight work. The evening sunset gives light to the day’s hidden stars and their desire to shine. “The heaven’s declare the glory of God…” (Psalm 19.1)

 Look at people around you! God created each one and placed eternity in their heart. (Ecclesiastes 3.11) Each one is created as he saw fit; there is no normal. The only “normal” was should see is the image of the invisible God. (Genesis 1.26) We have been provided by our Creator with abilities and inabilities given to us to take advantage of the opportunities He provides. God has hardwired each of us with the free will to make choices, goals and dreams. Even thought our outward appearance remains different, the inner man is being renewed day by day if we look set our affection on things above. (2 Corinthians 4.16 ; Colossians 3.2) Normal is not found in the physical, but in the spiritual. The spiritual promise of God is success through Him.

My friends, my passion changed because of a stark reality – there is something greater than this world. I knew it for years, preached it countless times, but until God truly took control, things would never be where they are. My faith and trust in Him became the beat of my heart. The countless hours of wonder brought renewed vigor and faith, because He cares.

He cares for you too. His care reaches the untouchable part of our souls and reaches to the top of our heads. His hands are at work in our lives. Providing us opportunities and strength, through His Only Son – Jesus.

Many have asked why I want to share a message of hope in a hopeless world, well, now you know!

Find your passion through the God who offers His care and see what your life can become!

Just my story,

Chris

As some of you know, I am currently reaching out to begin motivational speaking and a client relations practice and creating a list like the one below helps to assist others in becoming better public speakers. I hope this list will inspire you.

Here are “Gallagher’s Speaking Tips – Part #1″:

1. Speak or do not speak – Do not go at it half-hearted! Go with your full heart and change lives! Desire Success!
2. Know what you are talking about! Delivering a lesson with no points is like taking a cruise to nowhere!
3. Give your audience your best! They will be one of the best audiences ever, if you give them your best!
4. Mistakes happen so you better learn to laugh. You will make mistakes speaking, laugh & move on! You are human.
5. Nervous? Remember, they are the ones asking you to speak, they have confidence in you and you should too!
6. Study your topic and prepare for greatness! Attitude is almost all the battle!
7. Grow your mind and you will grow your audience level!
8. Give to your audience what you would want given to you.
9. Develop your ability and lead others to develop theirs — one word at a time.
10. Remember, even the “small people” are great people too! Reach for everyone!
11. Ego tripping is not speaking. Humbling yourself to lift others up is speaking!
12. No one cares what you learn last week, they want to know how you will help them this week.
13. Read today for what you will speak about tomorrow.
14. If you do not have a speaking engagement, plan, plan plan! The opportunity will come, will you be ready.
15. Drink water when you speak!
16. Take a breath mint! People will talk to you afterwards, do not taint them with bad breath!
17. Be yourself! Do not fake it, people will see.
18. Be positive always! Positive messages stick longer and people act quicker.
19. If you have to be negative, be sincere and loving.
20. Smile!
21. Use your hands naturally! Do no gesture to gesture, gesture because it is who you are.
22. Ummmm……no! Do your best to get rid of the “um” of speech. Everyone does it, but stop filling space with “ums.”
23. Preparation is the key to speaking…..prepare now for the message to come.
24. Concentrate on your best message and improve it weekly.
25. Study your audience. Note the makeup and share relevant information!
26. When you are done….QUIT!
27. As always KISS; Keep It Simple Stupid!
28. Speak to people like people, not as bondservants.
29. Watch your audience, feed off of their emotions. If they are falling asleep, you might need to change.
30. Do not speak on everything, speak on something!

I hope you have enjoyed!

Chris

Several times a month, I will surf through the library of YouTube videos and watch a select few from my favorite speakers. Many of the videos I have seen countless times and some I almost know every word, but each time I hear them, the message is still powerful. The words still have an effect on my heart and in my actions. They will motivate me and inspire me for greater service. But where does the power reside? Is it in the speaker or the message? Take a moment and look at the six items below and see “Six Powers Behind a Powerful Message.”

1. The speaker believed the message – In each of my favorite speeches throughout the years, each speaker believed (believes) the message they were presenting. Their belief came through in their actions, words, emotions and gestures. The belief of the speaker was so strong, some of it, if not all of it, was transferred to the listeners on every occasions. Without believing the words you are saying, your message will not fall on the listeners with power - it will just fall.
2. The speaker gave the audience time to think – Each famous speaker delivered the message in a way to give people time to think. The speaker presented words and offered solutions and even got personal, all the while, allowing the listeners to hear and digest the words.
3. The speaker used breaks and pauses in the message – While this point relies heavily on point #2 (and vice versa), the power in a pause or a break in the speech will help the listeners digest and concentrate on the message. Pauses and breaks in a message not only give the listeners time to think, they convey the serious matters of the message. Try pausing for a small amount of time and see how many people look at you, waiting for the next words.
4. The message challenged the listeners – Ever wonder why some people can fall asleep in a sermon or at a conference? There are many reasons, but I am convinced there is another – they are never challenged! You can attend seminar after seminar and never be challenged and you will have just been to “another seminar.” But challenge the people with a message that makes them move their feet and those people will tell everyone about the “event” they attended!
5. The message showed the listeners the future; whether good or bad – Remember the challenge of point #4 – point #5 is the thought process. Showing your audience the future, no matter good or bad, makes them act! If you are selling them a product, then show them the efficiency they will have in the future and the great sales they can make or the great lifestyle they will live. If you want them to take action on something that has been wrong, show them where the bad road will lead in the future and challenge them to change the course because of the consequences to come. Take your audience into the future and begin changing tomorrow today!
6. The message was the motivation for the people – Close you message by motivating the people to take action today not tomorrow! The great messages of the past motivated the people to change at that very moment! Even in today’s society we are feeling the effects from people who took action hundreds of years ago because of their motivation to live better. Motivate your audience to achieve the next level- Leave them motivated!

 These are just six points to get your mind racing toward becoming a greater speaker. Spend time this week and listen to those famous speeches of the past and see how these six points made a difference! Remember, to begin achieving greatness, you must put them into practice each day. In your next meeting or sales opportunity, try a couple of these steps and see how they work for you. It will take some practice, but practice is necessary for achievement!

Enjoy your day!

Chris

Golf is not my sport! I have tried and tried but my golf shot looks more like an Austrailian Boomerang than it does a golf shot. Several years ago, while purusing the pages of Golf Digest, I happened upon a fascinating article on golfing better by playing each hole backwards. The article was simple, before taking the first swing, picture where each shot should be from the hole backwards. Instead of planning to crush each ball as hard as you can, seek out where you want to be at the end of the hole and work backwards.

 Sounds weird, right? Well, consider the notion that you begin working from the hole to a two foot putt, to missing the sand trap, to a 50 yard pitching wedge and so on. You begin drawing a picture from your goal to your present state instead of your present state to the goal.

 Viewing your life backwards enables you do to several things:

1.  You Begin Each Shot with the Goal in Mind! – You should begin each day with your goal in mind. Ask yourself each day “is what I am doing now going to help me reach my goal?” If you cannot answer in the affirmative, you might need to change direction.
2. You Create Small Goals of Achievement! – Each step you create as you look from the goal backwards provides you with goal setting along the way. You are creating greater goals because you are starting from the finish (You can call it pacing yourself).
3. You Examine Obstacles at the Beginning – As a golfer would see sand traps, water hazards and other obstacles, you will be able to view some of the hazards you will need to achieve. Remember you will not see everyone, but you will see some to plan for from the beginning.
4. You Personalize Your Dream – Looking at the place where you wish to be in 20 years and panning to steps to get there, make it a powerful reality and it becomes something you want to share with those around you.

 So, where will you be in 20 years? I know where I want to be. If you want to know, feel free to call me on my office line and I will tell you.

Positive Thoughts:

•  “We don’t change the message, the message changes us.” (Unknown)
• “To be happy, make other people happy.” (W. Clement Stone)
• “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” (Walt Disney)

 Just some thoughts,

Chris

By Chris Gallagher

As some of you know, I work from home almost every day. There are times when I travel to Mount Pleasant, Charleston of the surrounding area for visits, meetings and finding some folks who have missed services for an unknown reason, but the majority of the “office stuff” surrounding my career is spent in my home office.

I have worked from home for about eight (8) years now. It began as a part-time thing, then it made the swing into a full-time home office when we moved to the Charleston area. When we moved here, the congregation did not have a building so I set up shop in the house and now that we have a building, my office is still in my house. For those who want to contact me, I am just a phone call or email away.

Having done the “home office thing” for a while now, I thought I would share the Top 5 X 5 for  a home office with you today:

Top Five Warnings About Working From Home

5. Working from home can add distractions – Anything from TV to yard work can add a distraction to your office time. The home to-do list is present from the waking moment to the time to lay your head on the pillow. You notice something in your home while going downstairs for a cup of coffee and then find yourself with an improvement to finish. Be warned! S

• Side Note to #5 – Be sure your family understand that even though you work from home, you still need quiet time to finish your projects and work. This is where great time management comes along. (More to come on Time Management next week.)
• #5 SOLUTION: Schedule your time well and keep a list handy to write down those home improvement things for a later time.

4. Less Formal – While being less formal can be a good thing, many times it results in slacking off because you are not under the normal office standards placed in a formal, cubicle setting. The phrase “dress for success” may have some value here; for many, working in pajamas make you work less.

• #4 SOLUTION: Set your schedule a month in advance to keep on track with your goals as well as daily goals. Achieving them is a good evaluation of how well you are working.

3. Food is Readily Available – When you work from home, the refrigerator can continuously call your name. Snacks and drinks are always available because it is your house. Your went to the store and bought your favorite things, so now you can see them all day long.

• #3 SOLUTION: Take time for a walk a couple times a day to put this problem aside.

2. Less Face-to Face Communication – You can work and never leave the house and that might be a problem. Working from home can enable you to less face-to-face communication than ever before. You can accomplish your job by phone, email and fax, causing a break in face-to-face communication.

• #2 SOLUTION: The best solution for this is to schedule face-to-face meetings a couple times a week; even grab a cup of coffee with a colleague.

1. Misconceptions – Working from home brings many misconceptions. Some who have regular 8-5 jobs see someone who works from home as not working as hard as they do. Many people will not see you grinding away in the wee hours of the morning or late at night while the family sleeps. They do not see the amount of work you are doing, because when they are invited over, your office is usually cleaned during the “People are coming cleaning.”

• #1 SOLUTION: Work your tail off and let the results speak for themselves! Your work will speak for itself.

Top Five Great Things About Working From Home

 5. Family Time – While this might be a distraction, I have found a balance of family and work time to be a positive thing. I am able to see my family more than a job which puts me in an office from 8 am until 6 pm; leaving me only a couple hours to see my kids. There is nothing greater that seeing your kids grow up. Also, lunch with them at school is a great thing!

4. No Traffic – Not counting the morning traffic on the stairs between getting up and taking the kiddos to school, the traffic is none. I do not make a morning commute on the interstate to the office, instead I make the morning commute to the coffee pot.

3. No Suits here – I love not having to wear “office clothes” every day. There is nothing like working in shorts and a t-shirt or even pajama pants in front of a warm fire each day. This does not work for everyone, but I enjoy it. It took a while to get used to but I feel I am as productive as ever.

2. Your Own Schedule – With a home office you are free to work on your own schedule. I have found certain hours of the day work better for me to work than others. I have found that spending time working when the rest of the family is sleeping is a prime time to clear my mind and do some writing. (More to come on this next week)

1. Technology makes it possible – My home office is not one space in my home but many. I have a laptop and wireless internet so I can work from any room in my home as well as the screened in porch, the front porch and even the garage. I have learned that email is a wonderful thing, as well as text messages. Cell phones make it possible to people to get a hold of me anytime anywhere. My fax machine is hidden upstairs and only used a limited number of time. One home office improvement purchase from last year is a wireless printer. Now I can print wherever I am.

_______________________________________________________

There are some thoughts to consider as you work from home or you plan to make the transition. For me, I love it, but it did take getting used to. I hope these provide some thoughts for your job as well.

So, let me know what you think and even what you could add to the list.

Just some thoughts…

Chris

 While researching for an upcoming lesson, I ran across this short story I wanted to pass along to you. Take a moment, give it a read and let it settle in your mind, then use the information today.

 How to Raise a Happy Child

 When John and Peter were growing up, other kids felt sorry for them. Their parents always had them doing chores: weeding the garden, running errands, carrying out the trash. When they grew older, they delivered newspapers or mowed lawns. Sometimes other parents shook their heads and remarked that all work and no play made a dull boy.

 But when the boys reached adulthood, they were better off than their childhood playmates who had been less industrious. They earned more money and had more job satisfaction. They had better marriages and closer relationships with their children. They were healthier and lived longer. Most of all, they were happier. Far happier.

 These are the remarkable findings of a 40-year study that began in the 1940s—a study that may help you raise happier children today. Started in an effort to understand juvenile delinquency, the study followed the lives of 456 teenage boys from inner-city Boston, many from impoverished or broken homes. When they were compared at middle age, one fact stood out: regardless of intelligence, family income, ethnic background or amount of education, those who had worked as boys, even at simple household chores, enjoyed happier and more productive lives than those who had not.

  (Source: Nelson’s Complete Book Of Stories, Illustrations, & Quotes by Robert J. Morgan)

Have a powerful day of achievement!

I hope you began listening to some audio material last week in order to inspire you and create motivation for your life! It is possible to grow and develop each day by listening to new material and even taking time to rehash old audio books. This weekend my family and I disappeared for an overnight stay in Myrtle Beach. During the drive back the family slept while I listened to one of my favorite audio books. The book is filled with powerful statements and each chapter finds a place in my heart or causes me to think of someone I know. The theme of the books is releasing the burdens you were never meant to bear.

I have to admit, I do not own a physical copy of the book, but I have bought them. I have bought copies to hand out to those who come into my office will a deep need and problems. Each person has given me a sign of hope they received form the book and it causes them to press forward to light.

Listening to audio causes our minds to shift and imagine the words before us. Each sentence of the narrator becomes clearer in our minds because we begin to paint images with vivid details, as a dream, about the story being read. Our minds are not on the number of pages, but the joy of the words. Too many times, we may pick up a physical book, read for a while and then say, “Whew! 40 pages down 260 more!” A number like 300 pages might seem like a daunting task, but audio brings our minds to the reader’s voice; pages numbers fall by the wayside, replaced with our imagination.

Warning: Your imagination will cause your mind to wonder greatly, so be careful driving, biking and walking!

Here is some more information you might enjoy:

Brian Tracy said this,

“Turn your automobile into a university on wheels” by Brian Tracy “Listen to audio cassettes in your car. Turn your automobile into a university on wheels. Never let your wheels be turning without your audio cassette player on, pumping rich and valuable ideas into your mind. I’ve worked with countless people who have played my programs over and over and the programs of others, and they have found it absolutely amazing that later on when they were in a critical situation, the actual words, recommendations, advice, insights just popped into their mind and they didn’t even realize that they were being programmed as they drove around. If you are a normal person who drives 25,000 miles a year, you probably sit in your car 500 to 1,000 hours a year. That 500 to 1,000 hours a year turned into learning time can make you one of the smartest and most competent people in your field today.”
(Source: http://www.leadfromwithin.com/Recommended%20Listening.htm)

What will you listen to today!

Oh yeah, here is a link to the book I mentioned -> Traveling Light.

Have a great achieving day!

 If you have children, you already know what can come from a child’s mouth. Their words will make you laugh, cry, even amaze you and occasionally stun you. Your thoughts and your words change once you see the way your children pick up speech and begin speaking. My son Caleb is saying everything! Over the past two months he has become a small auctioneer with all the words he can produce in the small times he has learned them. His vocabulary is truly amazing.

 Just today, he was watching Cars, his favorite movie of all time that he has seen so many times that one DVD actually was worn out. As he watched the movie he began to quote 50% of the words and even jumped ahead a time or two. It was amazing. He has picked up on words and phrases quicker than both of my girls at the same age. 

 While looking through some material today, I ran across a YouTube video which expresses the influence a parent has over a child. Each action the parent demonstrates, become ingrained in that child’s mind. Many of those actions will be duplicated later. I must warn you, this video might shock you, but it will cause you to think. 

Here is the video – >

 Today’s Family Matters Question – “What are we teaching our children through our actions?” Let’s let them see the greatness we possess!