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Advice to Allison

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Al Menconi
President, Al Menconi Ministries
July 24, 2001

I just had a most difficult experience last week. I put my younger daughter on an airplane to her new home in Dallas. It hit me that she would only be coming back for a few days during the holidays. This is no longer her home. Dallas is now her home.

I am so proud of her and how she has grown into a godly young woman, but I still have so much I want to tell her about life.

I decided the most important thing I could tell her is what Jesus taught in Mark 12:30, to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Our heart refers to our emotional life, soul to our spiritual life, mind to our mental life, and strength to our physical life.

I decided to make it as simple and practical as possible. I put my advice to her into the above four categories and one sentence for each. Here’s what I have so far. Love the Lord with all your:

HEART (emotional life):

1. Be careful of your entertainment, because that will influence your emotions and your emotions will influence your behavior, your behavior will influence your character, your character is who you are.

2. If you ever have to choose, take character over money. Character dictates who you are, money only lets you know what you can buy.

3. Don’t forget to call and write your mother. I’d like a call every now and then, but your mother needs to hear from you often.

4. There is a difference between being frugal and being cheap. Don’t be cheap.

SOUL (spiritual life):

1. Get involved in a church that ministers to young people your age. If you can’t find one, help out with a Sunday school program at a good church.

2. Keep up on your daily “quiet times” and prayer.

3. Don’t forget to tithe. Remember, it’s not your money. He is allowing you to be a steward of His money (Mal. 3:10).

4. Always be ready to give an answer for what you believe.

5. Never be ashamed of the Gospel.

6. Listening to Christian music can reinforce what you believe.”

MIND (mental life):

1. Read your local newspaper and/or watch the local news – get to know what is happening in your community.

2. Register to vote. Know about the candidates’ views and vote for the individual who best represents your values.

3. Reading a book is time better spent than watching TV.

4. Continue your education so your choices in work and life won’t be limited.

STRENGTH (physical life):

1. Continue to eat properly and to exercise daily no matter how inconvenient it becomes.

2. Maintain your car. Keep all the maintenance records in a special file. That’s necessary when you go to sell it. Changing the oil every 3,000 miles is the best insurance you can have. Also, keep it waxed, especially if you have to park it outside.

3. Be the best employee at your company. Work as if your boss is looking over your shoulder even if everyone else slacks off.

4. Your number one job description is to make your boss successful.

It occurred to me that my insights are limited and I could use your help. What life experiences could you share that I could add to my list for my daughter? Please keep them to one or two sentences each (similar to the above form) and or email them to me at info@AlMenconi.com or mail them to Box 131147, Carlsbad, CA 92013; put on the subject line or c/o “advice to Allison.” After I give them to Allison, we will publish the best advice in booklet form and make it available later this year.