Goals vs Contentment

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As we approach Thanksgiving this week, I had one thought that I wanted to share. One tension that I often experience and realize that living in one extreme or the other is not a healthy way to resolve the tension we feel.

Goals vs Contentment.

If you really break down the true essence of a “goal” – you could just say “more”. Goals are our way of saying we want more. We believe more is available. We think if we can achieve more, that it will result in a future outcome that we think is better than our current reality.

The positive side of GOALS is a driven person who accomplishes great things.

The negative side of GOALS is that is can mask our insatiable envy and greed for more.

If you really break down the true essence of “containment” – you could just say “enough”. Contentment at its root is an attitude of having enough. I have enough money. I have enough joy in my family. I have enough success in my job. Enough is often associated with having peace.

The positive side of CONTENTMENT is a true peace no matter where we happen to be in life.

The negative side of CONTENTMENT is that people use it as an excuse to settle and give up on what God might have for their future.

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The Tension is Real Podcast – Episode 11: The Tension of Social Issues

Welcome to The Tension is Real Podcast. A podcast dedicated to real discussion about the TENSION that exists between Life and Faith and how to embrace it so we can live with purpose and freedom.

Today’s Topic – The Tension of Social Issues
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“NO… We Don’t Say Those Words!” – (Slang, Cussing, Cursing)

I can’t remember who said this – but I love this quote!

“Profanity is the effort of a feeble mind to express itself.”

If you’re a parent of older elementary, middle, or high-schooler- you understand the tension of watching your kids try to express themselves through the use of profanity. Many times it starts out with just pushing the envelope to see what’s acceptable – repeating what they heard on the bus or their favorite Disney show.

Parents have one simple phrase that is repeated over and over again, “no… we don’t say those words.” What? Are you kidding me – you’re pants on fire! (because you’re a liar!) The truth is, you’ve said and probably still say (in the right circumstances) worse things than your kid has ever said.

Eventually, every kid learns what they can and cannot say in front of mom & dad and they move to what is acceptable and preferred language in their group of friends. This is natural.

Is there a better way to ensure our kids don’t have a “potty mouth?” I think so.

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The Tension is Real Podcast – Episode 10: The Tension of Suffering

Welcome to The Tension is Real Podcast. A podcast dedicated to real discussion about the TENSION that exists between Life and Faith and how to embrace it so we can live with purpose and freedom.

Today’s Topic – The Tension of Suffering
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Why “Inside Out” is Changing the World!

107279-fullEmotions are real.  Emotions are powerful.  Emotions are essential.  Emotions are mysterious! 
As a culture, we’ve crafted marketing and media to manipulate our emotions, we’ve even come up with new ways to label different emotional states during the day (a case of the Muuuundays), but we still really don’t understand how they work and how powerful the work in our lives.
The Pixar movie “Inside Out” does an incredible job helping us better understand the basics of our emotional state.  This movie is going to change the world!
The best part about the movie is the uncovering of a basic truth – healthy emotions LIVE IN TENSION with other emotions! 
[Tweet “Healthy emotions LIVE IN TENSION with other emotions.”]
JOY wanted Riley to happy all the time. She didn’t see the power of the tension that exists between her and the other emotions on the team.  Especially SADNESS.   She was really seen as the “unneeded” one of the group.  They often play into the “Sadness ruined it” over and over again to help us move to a place of understanding her role in the group.
This movie gives us beautiful insight into the POWER THAT EXIST IN TENSION.  When Joy finally understands the amazing role that Sadness plays in the life of Riley – it’s almost too late.  (to understand why, you’ll need to watch the movie).
My favorite part of the movie was in the last 5 minutes.  The “memories” that were being created were no longer just 1 color to represent 1 emotion.  They were a beautiful hybrid of colors to represent the power that tension can bring to our lives if we really understand the role it plays!
So… go rent/buy the movie.  You won’t be disappointed.  Leave a comment if you saw this picture of tension play out in the movie and what other messages this story brought to your mind! 

The Tension is Real Podcast Episode 9 – Tension of Faith and Science

Welcome to The Tension is Real Podcast. A podcast dedicated to real discussion about the TENSION that exists between Life and Faith and how to embrace it so we can live with purpose and freedom.

Today’s Topic – The Tension of Faith and Science
1. Subscribe in iTunes (Search “The Tension is Real” or plug in this URL –http://mattdawsontv.libsyn.com/rss).
2. RATE and REVIEW the Podcast in iTunes to help us promote MattDawson.TV
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4. Download MP3

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