Keep Talking

I love a good conversation. It can center on sports (a definite favorite of mine), my family, problems & solutions, or an exchange of ideas that stretches my mind. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to have all of these happen over a cup of coffee. There are also days where they are interspersed throughout my schedule with good friends and family. I enjoy the shared dialogue, listening to inspiring passions, helping through a difficulty, or even just laughing over a funny story.

There is an intimacy and openness in genuine conversation that is missing in our social media driven world. Perhaps we should commit to reestablishing the practice of face-to-face communication. I believe we would strengthen our relationships and actually enjoy listening to what other people have to say. We might find more value in it than we anticipate.

Simple Beauty

I love to watch a video which captures the graceful essence of the human spirit. It can be seen in the tender moments of a surprise proposal, a soldier arriving home from war, a random act of kindness, or in engaging another person with genuine interest and concern. I think these are appealing because they remind me of the good things in this world.

There is so much hate in online expressions of opinion and constant demeaning of anyone who looks, acts, or thinks differently. Watching these acts of kindness and love helps me see the positive things we are all capable of. Contrary to what we might experience in online conversation, I believe this reflects who we really are at our core. It more accurately mirrors the way Christ intended us to live.

Imagine the impact in our community if we committed ourselves to consistently sharing simple acts of beauty.

Do What You Want

Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial.  1 Corinthians 10:23

This is a verse I think about and quote often. It's a great reminder of the freedom we have to act, think, and speak as we wish, but also of the consequences of our choices. What we choose to do and say will affect people around us and may create a rift in our relationships if we aren't careful. 

While we may be comfortable with our lifestyle and faith decisions, others may not recognize the balance we maintain. I don't believe we need to over-think or fret about every decision we make, but we should at least be respectfully cognizant of other people. A healthy respect for the choices of others reveals our maturity and our willingness to engage in dialogue without immediately alienating people. It's not a responsibility to take lightly if we truly value our potential to generate positive influence.

Just because we can doesn't mean we should. 

The Last Three

I've been out of commission on my normal running for the last five weeks due to an injury. I've written a few times about how disappointed I have been in the length of recovery time. It's also been frustrating to have a good rhythm of running knocked off course. I have been tracking my miles with an app for my iPhone and when I hurt my knee I was at 197 miles for the year. While that may not seem like a lot to some people, I felt it was a big deal.

I had actually been looking forward to hitting the 200 mile mark especially since it had taken me far less time than it did to reach the first 100. I was in a groove as an "actual runner" and was planning ahead for faster pace and farther distances. It was not until this past week that I felt comfortable enough to hit the treadmill and get those last three miles. I don't discount the distance just because it took longer to achieve. In fact, I appreciate those last three miles even more. It's making me reevaluate my approach and to think more carefully about how I treat my aging body.

I will still celebrate this mileage, but will also gain greater respect for the endurance and perseverance it will take to hit the next 100. I still hope it won't take as long to move forward as these last three did. I suppose that's a decent lesson for a lot of goals in life. Sometimes it will come easily and other times we'll have to be more patient to see the results we're looking for.

Committed Pursuit

I am reading another book (All In) by one of my favorite authors, Mark Batterson. I always enjoy his challenging thoughts and the word pictures. He has a way of writing that is complex and yet simply expressed at the same time.

He shared a manifesto about going all in and going all out for God. I've heard him express it before, but it's a worthwhile challenge which still conveys great thoughts.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death.

Set God-sized goals. Pursue God ordained passions. 

Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention.

Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God.

Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution.

Stop repeating the past and start creating the future.

Stop playing it safe and start taking risks.

Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey.

Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can.

Live like today is the first day and the last day of your life.

Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God.

Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails.

Don't let fear dictate your decisions. Take a flying leap of faith.

Quit holding out. Quit holding back.

Go all in with God. Go all out for God.

Birthday Time

Today is my 44th birthday. I haven't always made a big deal over my birthday for a lot of different reasons, none of which are actually related to getting older. In the last couple of years however, I've come to gain a greater appreciation for what this day represents.

It's another year to spend with those I love and to soak up the experiences we share. This new year is a chance to increase in wisdom and influence as I fulfill my calling. It's a chance for growth and refinement in my spiritual journey and to enjoy God's generous gifts of grace and mercy. Another year older represents the fact that God obviously isn't done with me yet and still has work for me to do as part of His Kingdom.

I've lived a longer life than I deserve and yet not as long as I desire. I'm grateful for the journey of life so far and look forward to where God will take me next.

Long Term Effects

I've been a Mets fan for a long time and we've had a modicum of success over the years. Sadly, most of the years in between winning have been filled with unfortunate injuries, poor production, and overspending on contracts for free injuries. The perfect example is the contract of Bobby Bonilla. He signed as a free agent with the team in 1992, but quickly become a divisive force in the clubhouse. In an effort to move him off the club they agreed to defer his contract so it paid him $1.19 million each year on July 1st from 2011-2035. Needless to say, this has created the opportunity for many layers of jokes about the ball club.

This is a perfect example of the results of bad decisions in our personal lives. We might choose to do something which seems okay in the interim, but it can have long-lasting implications. We don't always think of the ridicule we will suffer or all of the consequences when we make these choices. Unfortunately, our unwillingness to think this through doesn't negate the damaging results.