Month: July 2010

Keep Going

While I was out for a walk tonight, I ran into some friends from Church. We ended up talking and walking together, and it was nice to catch up. The same thing happened about a year or so ago, but at that point, I was still struggling to improve my health. Walking wasn’t easy back then. In fact, I think pretty much everything I did was difficult.

I tried to be optimistic, and took it one day at a time. Sometimes, when you try to do too much all at once, it’s easy to give up, frustrated and discouraged. But making small changes, a little bit at a time, can be an important key to success.

My friend reminded me that, during that first conversation, I told him that I knew that some greater good would come from my efforts to improve my overall health, but I didn’t know what it would be. I don’t think either of us would have guessed at the transformation that would ultimately take place.

Transformation can take place in everyone. Most don’t happen overnight. Instead, you have to be in it for the long haul, taking it slowly. Keep going, and never give up. You’ll be glad you did.

——

Some people were asking me if the lilies in yesterday’s post were from my garden. Yes, and I got those Yelloween Asiatic lilies from Whiteflower Farms.

Change

Post author By seedthrower1
Post date 07/07/2010
No Comments on Change

Change is never easy. Today, our parish began the process of giving our input as to who our new pastor should be. What are the qualities we’re looking for in our leader? Who do we want that person to be?

For many of us, we struggle with the idea that the man who led us over the last 17 years is leaving. More than a few feel that, if he has to go, we want them to send someone exactly like him. But, in our hearts, we know that this can’t happen. Whoever comes after our pastor and friend has to be his own person. He will come with the strengths and weakness’ that make up who he is. Would we really want him to be someone else? No.

Change is hard, but it’s part of life. Change can bring about experiences that we would never dream possible. Change can lead us to transformation. Think about caterpillars. If change and transformation weren’t a part of their lives, we would never see a beautiful butterfly. If a flower bulb didn’t change, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy beautiful flowers like the lilies above.

Would you really want to go through life as an infant? No, we grow and change and become the person God wants us to be. Change can be scary, but it can also be exciting. It might cause us to stretch and grow in ways we didn’t think we could.

I’m sad that I won’t be working alongside my friend of 16 years. But I look to the future with hope and a sense of excitement for things to come. There’s much work to be done in the vineyard of St. John. Well, not just here. Everywhere.

What changes are taking place in your life? Is what’s happening scary or exciting to you? A little of both? It’s ok. Go with it.

Maybe there needs to be some changes in your life, but you’ve been afraid to make them. Think them through, talk them over with a friend, pray about them. But don’t let fear hold you back from doing what you need to. Be at peace. Everything is in His hands.

Inspiration Mind Spirit

Nothing But Encouragement

When I hit the publish tab on my blog yesterday, I hesitated for a second. Earlier, as I typed out what I wanted to say, I realized that it was pretty hard-hitting, and that maybe some people might take it the wrong way. But I did hit the tab, and away it went into cyberspace.

As it has turned out, I’ve gotten good feedback. People have said that it’s what they needed to hear. Thanks to everyone who made that comment 🙂

I know that many people are more than a little overwhelmed right now. It seems like every time we turn around, things are getting worse. But, that doesn’t mean that we can’t begin to do something about our own lives, and that was the point of my blog yesterday. It would be nice if we could hit a reverse button and go back to better times, but that wouldn’t be reality.

I’ve got nothing but encouragement for you! This is our chance to take care of things that we need to deal with, so that we can be better, stronger, healthier. Do you want to survive, or do you want to thrive? I’m getting pretty tired of just surviving, and I have this deep sense that we’re being given an opportunity to thrive. It may not come tomorrow, or next week, or next month. But we all have the capacity deep within us to thrive. Not just in some things. But everything. Are you ready for it? What can you do to make it a reality? How can we encourage those who can’t see past their present circumstances and feel overwhelmed?

Here’s one of my favorite Scripture passages for you to reflect on.

For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope. When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, you will find me with you, says the Lord, and I will change your lot. (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

Body Inspiration Mind Prayer Spirit

Do Something About It

I’ve got a challenge for you. I want you to think about some important issue you need to work on but have been avoiding or not really trying hard enough on it. I’m guessing something has already come to mind. It’s possible that you could create a whole list of issues, or maybe it’s just one or two.

Now I want you to ask yourself, “what’s holding me back from dealing with it/them?” Most of the time, what’s holding you back is, well, YOU. There’s a whole lot of people that carry around a self-defeating attitude. We’re our own worst enemy. That has to stop.

Today, I want to challenge you to start doing something about these issues, so that you can get moving on with your life. It’s going to be hard, and it might take a long time. But we need to do something about it, starting today.

If the issue is your health and you haven’t seen the doctor lately, make an appointment. When was the last time you got your blood checked? I know sometimes those visits/tests can be kind of scary, but I think I’m more scared of not knowing.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve learned that I have to be my own health care advocate. I need to be informed, and I need to take care of myself. If you are overweight and continue to eat at fast food restaurants, you need to stop. There is an unbelievable amount of data out there that shows the harmful effects of our poor eating habits. But no one is forcing you to eat that food. Stop. What health issue can you start working on today?

If the issue is your finances, get control of them. Do you have a budget? Do you have any idea where all the money is going? I know this is an area that I’m personally working on right now. I met with a financial planner last week, and have begun, after a very long hiatus, to start putting money aside for retirement. I just can’t wait anymore to do this. I can’t go backwards and try to make up for what I haven’t done. I can only go forward and become disciplined with my money. What are some things you can do to watch what you are spending?

If the issue involves a relationship, what can you do today to begin to improve it? Last week, I was talking to a group of teenagers about something called the “cube of love.” Basically, the cube has different sayings on each side related to love. Not just an ordinary kind of love, but the kind of love that marks us as a Christian. A person throws the cube, and whatever is written on the top of the cube when it lands is the challenge that day for the person. My favorite one is “be the first to forgive.” What a great thing to be doing. You don’t need to have your own cube of love to start being the first to forgive.

Maybe the issue with with your employment. You’re just not happy with what you’re doing. At this point, I think anyone with a job paying a decent wage should be grateful to have it. But that doesn’t mean we should be trapped. Are you trying to do your job better? How can you improve your skills, or learn something new that might be of benefit to your present employer, or a future one?

These are only a few issues that many of us are avoiding, and maybe you can’t relate to any of them. But I know that all of us has something we are not fully dealing with. No matter what the issue, it’s time to start working on it.

My point in all this is that we have to start taking responsibility for ourselves. We can’t wait for someone else to make it all better. With God’s help, He will make something new of us. That’s His promise. More than likely, though, He’s asking us to do our part too.

I hope that you will open to taking a look at those things you’ve been avoiding, and make a commitment to begin the process of working on them. We can’t just sit around waiting for something to happen. If we wait too long, I think we’ll have too many regrets to count.

Start believing in yourself! Have confidence in the Scripture passage found in the Prophet Isaiah (43:19) from where the theme of this blog comes from, “See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers.”

Inspiration Travel

Happy Independence Day

I had the chance several years ago to visit Mt. Rushmore with my family. If you ever have the chance to make the trip, do it. The 60′ busts carved by John Borglum into the granite face of the mountain are breathtaking. I have saved this picture for some time, waiting for the right moment to include it in one of my postings. It seems to me that we need to get back to the visionary leadership that these four presidents represent. More on that another time.

Today, I want to talk about Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a great hero of the Civil War. On July 2, 1863, he was standing on Little Round Top during the battle of Gettysburg and made a decision that still affects us today. One person. One decision.

Uncategorized

Updates

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to let you know that I posted the recipe for Zucchini-Corn Quesadillas under the Appetizers tab to the right

I also found a very good video done by Dr. Robert Lustig, MD entitled “Sugar: The Bitter Truth.” Dr. Lustig is UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology. Although the clip is quite long (90 minutes) it answered a tremendous number of questions that I’ve had about the reasons why there is such a health crisis in our country. If you don’t have the time to watch the clip, there is a link to a summary PDF right below the clip. You can find everything under the Type II Diabetes tab to the right.

Inspiration

The Power of One

Several weeks ago, my mom recommended I watch a new dvd that had just come out, The Blind Side. All she said was that I would enjoy it, that it had an uplifting plot, and it was about football. It sounded good, so I put it in my Netflix queue, and it arrived yesterday.

As it happened, the day before I had purchased a clearance book entitled Discover the Power of One. The premise of the book is that, despite what seems like impossible odds, one person really can make a difference in the lives of others, not just those in their immediate circle, but way beyond, even people they will never meet.

As I watched the movie, I was drawn in right away. The story is based upon the life of Michael Oher, an offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens. It is an amazing story, one that I had never heard before, and I live in Maryland. A sad commentary on my pro football knowledge 🙂

Michael was born into poverty in Tennessee. His mother was addicted to crack cocaine, and his father was long out of the picture. His dad was ultimately murdered when Michael was still in high school. Through a friend, Michael began attended an exclusive private school, and he stood out like a fish out of water. Like something out of a feel-good movie (which Blind Side is), Michael was befriended by a wealthy white family, who cared and nurtured him. Eventually they adopted him, much to the chagrin of their socialite friends. One thing that Michael excelled at was football, and he eventually won a scholarship to University of Mississippi.

In July of 2009, he signed a five-year, $13.8 million contract with the Ravens. What a remarkable story. Had it not been for a chance encounter with the Tuohy family, it’s safe to say the chances were great that Michael’s life would not have turned out well. One family made a difference.

In the book I also began reading yesterday, the author writes that so many people today feel overwhelmed and helpless. They don’t believe that they can make a difference. Although I’m not too far into the book, this theme fits so well with the movie that it was easy to connect them together. They say there are no coincidences, to I think it’s safe to say that God is trying to remind me of something here.

How can we as individuals make a difference in the lives of others? Not just within our circle of friends and family, but in a bigger, broader way? I don’t think its easy, but I believe that with God helping us, it’s possible.

Awhile back, I wrote about something called The Butterfly Effect. The premise of the book is the same as this movie, and it also matches this book perfectly. One Person Can Make A Difference. What can you do?

Tomorrow, I’m going to write about a man named Chamberlain who fought at Gettysburg, not too far from where I live. That epic battle of the Civil War took place exactly 147 years ago this weekend, and the decisions this Colonel in the Union Army made that weekend still affect us today.

I hope you are enjoying this long weekend. Have you brushed up on your American History yet???

Inspiration Mind

The Spirit of ’76

There seems to be a lot of discussion in certain circles that the majority of Americans are pretty clueless about our country’s founders, who they were, what they stood for, and what they were opposed to. We couldn’t explain the difference between Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Who knows what’s in the Bill of Rights?

I think that it wasn’t that long ago that people would have had a much better understanding about our form of government than we do today. Maybe we have just gotten too busy, or a bit too comfortable with a feeling that our country’s problems are so huge it’s impossible to come together and try to resolve them.

One of the things that our Founders wanted to see happen was that our country’s citizens be educated, especially in the workings of the government. Thomas Jefferson wrote “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” (The Writings of Thomas Jefferson. Edited by Paul Ford, vol. 10, pg. 4)

I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’ve totally lost touch with the foundations of our country. I think it’s safe to say that many in our government today might also benefit from a better understanding of just what we were supposed to be about when this country was founded.

I’m going to spend some time this weekend learning a bit more about the events that led up to our nation’s founding. I want to know why these courageous folks did what they did, said what they said, and thought what they thought. Somehow, I think they would have that expectation of all of us.

Appetizers Vegetarian

Trying It Out

I had three college students over to my house tonight to try out some vegetarian food. One suggested I make Mexican food, so that’s what was on the menu. The Zucchini-Corn Quesadillas shown above were, I think, the hands down favorite. They were really, really good. I’ll post the recipe under appetizers by Saturday. Maybe you’ll try them out on the 4th?

I’ve been blessed to know these guys for several years, and its exciting to me to hear them talk about their desire to take better care of themselves and eat healthier. Without a doubt, if they can get a handle on their health now while they’re young, they will enjoy a long and happy life. Sadly, I blog all the time about what happens if you don’t.

As they were leaving, one young man mentioned that someone he knew was told by his doctor that he needed to cut way back on his meat intake because his cholesterol was so high. I’m sure that same recommendation is made literally thousands of times each day in doctor’s offices all over our county.

The time is right for you to make an attempt to improve your health. Don’t worry about what you could have done, should have done, would have done if you had known, etc. That’s now in the past, and you can’t dwell on it.

But tomorrow starts a new day, filled with potential and hope. I pray that you give yourself that fresh start you need, and that each passing day will bring filled with blessings.