Honestly, Man...........

"You put so much pressure on yourself." Pat has said that to me in times of stress, especially when driving and directions aren't accurate or change due to detours. I guess I like the feeling of comfort and security that comes from knowing what's ahead and how I can get there using the least amount of thinking and adaptation, but when things come up, that level of control disappears. I can see, looking back, where this has happened in other areas of life. Is it that I feel others are counting on me knowing what's going on, or does it come from my tendency to act before thinking, or seeing everything in black and white, all-or-nothing? I know I over react at times, but not as often as I used to (there's some justification for you). Well, that and a buck will get you coffee. I need to earnestly give all that to God, and allow the chips to fall where they may. Life is too short to fret over everything, so let's choose our battles carefully, sticking with the ones we can do something about.

I Can Do Anything.....

I can do anything for an hour......a day..... a week..... a month.......... When was the last time you used that phrase, or something like it? I started when we first started going on mission trips to South Carolina, and I've pretty much adopted it as a rule in life. No matter what we may have to experience, an end will eventually come, and we may find ourselves stronger, or better, or whatever, but definitely changed in some way. Challenges cause us to do one of two things. Either we shrink back, hiding from them, or we face them, coming to realize they weren't as big and insurmountable as we once thought.
If we try to avoid these things, then we stand the chance of becoming afraid of any new thing that comes our way, and, in our fear, we may even lash out, trying to protect ourselves. But, if we reach out and attempt to understand what is coming, we very well could find ourselves advancing two or three steps in a positive direction, instead of stagnating where we are.
Face life like this, starting today. Start with an hour, and work your way up. You's be amazed how well you will do when adversity is perceived as a learning opportunity.

There and Back Again

How many times have we gone on trips as a way of running away from our daily lives? We think something new and different will change our perspective, giving us a fresh view, and a new appreciation for the everyday things that fill our time. We seek cathedrals, or amusements, or just a place to sit and rest and read. All come and go, and we find ourselves missing what we left behind, thankful for the experiences we've gathered while away, but grateful to return to our lives, refreshed and renewed. Memories are grand, and places visited and people seen become part of who we are, enriching our lives and enhancing them with a new understanding. So, go, do, see, feel, run, walk, visit, learn, and then come back hopefully a better person for what you have gained.

Once in a Lifetime.......

There was a black spot on the sun yesterday - once in a lifetime. Man walked on the moon - once in a lifetime. America was discovered - once in a lifetime. The human genome was mapped - once in a lifetime. The Queen celebrated her diamond jubilee - once in a life time. These are all significant events to many, many people, but to view them as life-changing for anyone more than those intimately involved is stretching the point. We are live lives consisting of once-in-a-lifetime moments. Every breath, every thought, every attitude, every action has bearing on the rest of our existence here, so all moments hold the potential to be monumental. All we need do is live them as such. Our perspective should change from, "Man, I gotta get through another day" to "Man, I get to live through another day!" If we look at what we've been blessed with, then we can appreciate what comes our way, no matter if it what we want or not. Everything that you get, and everything that happens to you helps to make you who you are. God is building us one brick at a time, so we really have to be patient and wait to see what the outcome of our latest adventures will be. We live one moment at a time. We learn, hopefully, one moment at a time. Therefore, look forward to each second your alive, anticipate what might be, and don't be surprised by the serendipitous nature of life. Rejoice in the unexpected, and embrace the diversity of your experiences.

Rain as a Way of Thinking

Rainy days have to come, it's just a fact of nature. If it weren't for them, how could we fully appreciate the sunny ones? And, really, think about it. What's as refreshing as a gentle, steady, warm summer rain, especially when you can go out into it, getting drenched to the bone, and feeling the cleansing power of the Creator in every drop that falls?
Rainy days help keep things green, replenish ground water, remind us of times in our lives when other rains have fallen. When we have found ourselves in the dry times of trouble and doubt, it has been the rain of Truth that alleviates them, quenching the questions, and pouring down a soothing understanding.
Rain envelops the world in a cocoon of potential, covering and causing the metamorphic, as it serves to prepare us and the world for the Light that follows. Rain has form but has no shape, iridescence but has no color, life-giving qualities while not being alive. It is truly one of God's greatest wonders.

Little Victories

"When was the last time you did something for the first time?" I used to have a shirt that had that printed on the back. Isn't that a great question? I guess it's to motivate us to leave our comfort zones and  try new stuff in life. Could be anything, from some kind of food, to listening to new music, to some new challenge physically. I've recently started doing 5K races, and, while I realize it's not that great a distance for a lot of people, and that I'll never be in the top finishers, it's something I've never really aspired to do until now. But, heck, why not?: Am I fast.......no. But, I finish. (Not bad for a pudgy 58 year old.) Even took some time off my record, so I guess I'll keep at it. At Monday's race I saw a shirt that had the following legend on it: "A Dead last finish is better that not finishing, which is better than not starting at all." Kind of can be applied to life in general. If you start something, you should try your hardest to finish, even if it doesn't turn out the way you wanted. Sometimes, the joy is in the chase, the happiness in the process. So, get out there, and see what the world has to offer. Start small and slow, and who know where you could end up? My next 5K is July, and I'm in training. Want to shave off some more time this time. We need to rejoice in the little victories. (I learned that as a long time Pittsburgh Pirate fan.)

What's So All-fired Important?

I started out to write something concerning our over-dependence on social media to keep in touch with each other, including a tirade about it seems how if you don't have a cell phone with all the latest bells and whistles, you are somehow seen as not with it. Well, I continued to think about this and came to the realization that maybe we partake of these things because we are afraid to be alone with ourselves. Maybe inactivity is seen as sloth, but, really, we all need some time alone with our thoughts and feelings so we can acknowledge them and deal with them. I see people driving, exercising, doing yard work, and any other of a myriad of activities, and they are plugged into some kind of electronic companion. Maybe, just maybe, it's time to rebel and put these things down intentionally for a set amount of time each day. Maybe we need to just sit and take in the world around us with no distractions, to listen instead of talk, talk, talking. How can we be so dependent on something that didn't even exist before fifteen years ago? Is the world, and our words, so important that we speak before we think, say things which we'd never want to be said to us, and feel the constant need to try to make connections with everyone we can in the shortest amount of time possible? Have we become that lonely?
Just a bit of ranting....hope you'll understand.