I think the words "temptation" and "peer-pressure," can be two of the most dangerous and evil words in the English language.  And, like it or not...we're all going to have to deal with them for the rest of our lives, etc.  And, it's going to be the person who has the discipline and will-power to stay on track, and to avoid additional problems in their lives!

temptation: (definition) the desire to have or do something that you should avoid; "he felt temptation as his will-power weakened"

"It's not the greatest temptations that ruin us...it's all the little ones!"  John DeForest

As for me...all the little ones, consist of the following...

Quitting smoking: I have zero tolerance for smoking and smokers!  I quit smoking in 1970, while I was in the Air Force, and in 2008, I have not touched a cigarette in 38 years, and I don't intend to, either! I have not touched any other kind of tobacco product such as cigars; pipe or chewing tobacco, etc.

For those of you who want to quit smoking, I can tell you from experience, that quitting smoking is the easy part!  Next, comes the hard part...and to deal with the mess you created inside your body, while you were smoking, etc.  All the sludge; the pollution; the tar and no telling what else you put into your body for years...to weaken your system...which makes you more vulnerable to disease; bacteria; viruses, etc.  To get cleansed...this is going to take time!

Next, comes the temptation to go back to smoking...and millions of people out there fail here...as they go back to smoking months or years after they struggled to quit in the first place!  They didn't have the discipline and the will-power, it takes to quit for good, which is a shame!

"No one is as poor as the ignorant person."  Hebrew proverb

Weight loss:  I lost 40 pounds in 2001, and in 2008, I have not gained it back.  The hardest thing for me during this time, was patience.  I had to be patient to lose the weight slowly...as not to gain it back again, etc.  It took me about a year to do the job.  In 2008...people don't have patience...they want to throw down a bottle of snake-oil, and then lose 40 pounds when they wake up in the morning!  These are all the dreamers of the world! 

Having a little experience in this area as well...losing the weight was the easy part...after all...it only took me a year!  What's going to take me the rest of my life, is the temptation that's going to come, and that I will have to fight off!  You see, I have a sweet-tooth like my mother, and that makes it doubly worse.  There isn't a month that goes by, that I would like to back up a truck at the local donut shop down the street, and empty the shelves!  But, I can't!  (sob-sob!)

If I want to stay at 170 pounds, I need to have the discipline and will-power it will take, to fight off temptation for the rest of my life not to gain the weight back, etc.  I don't care what any of us do...we're going to be tempted to do the opposite...plain and simple!  This will be a life-long adventure...or miss-adventure, as the case may be. 

will-power; (definition) control of one's impulses; self-control

Pre-Diabetes: In 2008, I have been battling elevated blood sugar for about three years, and two doctors have told me that I have pre-diabetes.  This will be another challenge for me in the years to come, and again, it's going to take discipline and will-power; diet; and life-style changes to win this one.  As I said earlier, I have a sweet-tooth like my mother, so this is going to be a tough one for sure!  But, if I can quit smoking and lose 40 pounds, I can win this one, too! 

In the area of sweet things...temptation is everywhere...the local grocery store; the drug store; the donut shop, etc.  And, then I'll have to deal with the foods that are turned into sugur naturally by the body, so that makes things more difficult and complex, etc. 

Diabetes is a horrible disease, and is the #3 killer in the United States behind heart disease and cancer.  One of my aunts died from diabetes in her early 50's.  But, before she died, she went blind and one of her legs was amputated!  The same thing happened to a neighbor of my parents.  He was in his early 50's, too!

After I saw the dietician at the VA Medical Center, things changed.  I used to have candy, ice cream and sweet things around me all the time...but no more!  All that went out the window!  Life-style changes were in order!

I did a little research on diabetes, and found that 65% of the people with a pre-diabetes condition...go over the line into full-blown diabetes!  I'm determined that I'm not going to be one of those 65%!  My doctor issued me a meter to check my blood sugar, but I don't intend to use it.  That's because I have no intention of getting full-blown diabetes, and I'll do what it takes to stay away from going over the line!  It took discipline and will-power to quit smoking and lose 40 pounds, and it's going to take the same to win this diabetes war, too!

Diabetes is so serious, that I wasn't happy about getting only one opinion from the VA doctor.  Because I was eligible for Medicare, I joined a health care at a local hospital, to get a second opinion!  The news was the same, that I do have pre-diabetes, but things have improved.  Things have leveled off and one number even went down, so this is progress!  At this time, I'm taking no medication, and I have another blood test in mid-December, and I hope things continue to improve!  Temptation will always be our number one enemy! 

peer-pressure; (definition); a term discribing the pressure exerted by a peer group, in encouraging a person to charge their attitude; behavior; morals to conform;

Peer-pressure is not just for teen-agers.  The ugly face of peer-pressure, will follow us all to the grave, by those who want up to go in a different direction with our lives in a negative way, etc.  So, find the discipline and will-power that you need to stay on track with your life in a positive way.

Criminal activity:  How in the world, are eight (8) educated people, tempted to get into criminal activity?  I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA) and I've been following this story closely for over two years.  It's unbeliveable to me, how some people who make a good living, can ruin their lives, and it all has to start with temptation!

"Opportunity may knock only once...but temptation leans on the doorbell."  Author unknown

It all started several years ago, with the construction of the new county courthouse here in Albuquerque.  Eight people had their hands in the cookie jar, to bilk the taxpayer's out of 4.2 million dollars!  As of the middle of October, 2008, seven of the eight have pleaded guilty...and include an attorney; a former Mayor of Albuquerque; an engineer; an architect; a courthouse administrator, etc.  All await sentencing by a federal judge! 

Aside from greed, what could possibly motivate or tempt people to do something like this...right under the noses of the N.M. Legislature; the court system; the taxpayers's, etc.  Amazing! 

The attorney is Hispanic, and grew up in the poor side of town.  He has done well for himself; went to school and became an attorney and practiced law for over thirty years.  He was a state Senator in the N. M. Legislature; and then president of a small university!  But, all that changed...

And at the age of 61, he is now facing a federal judge, not as an attorney...but as a nickle/dime crook...a felon...pleading guilty for his part in the scheme!  The real sad part about all this, is the fact, that this all started when he was president of the state Senate in the N. M Legislature.  The taxpayer's place trust in their elected officials...and he betrayed the trust!   

Would you give up your freedom for years; your reputation; your trustworthiness; your honor;  your kids; your grand-kids and your dignity for a measly $600.000.00?  It's true what they say about money..."it's the root of all evil," and all crime usually starts with temptation! 

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