Read This When You're Having a Bad Day

My heart aches today.  One of my high school buddies reported tragic news about his daughter yesterday.  She passed away several days ago from injuries sustained in a car accident.  Another friend is dealing with breast cancer.  There are other situations that I cannot share here for privacy reasons but they fall into the category of things that trouble your heart.  For all the people in the world who are struggling with loss or difficult situations, this post is for you.  I'm sending you prayers for comfort, peace and strength.

The shortest verse in the Bible is two words – Jesus wept.  It didn't matter Jesus is the Son of the Most High God.  Nothing can stop Jesus from feeling the pain of loss.  If there is any comfort today, it's the comfort of knowing Jesus will do everything in his power to draw us closer to him, especially in our darkest moments.  He taught us to pray "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done."  It seems like an impossible request when we're faced with something like the death of a child.  Those who precede us in death are already in the Kingdom.  We are the ones who are on the outside.  We need our Daily Bread to make it through our challenges.  That empty seat at the table is only temporary.  The bad days will not last forever.  Jesus is the solution.  He is our hope.  He feels our pain.  God is with us – Immanuel.  May you feel his presence during your time of struggle.  Peace be with your Spirit.

Give This Christmas Away

Want to make a difference this December?  Listen to to the words in this Christmas song and consider giving this Christmas away.  Have a great day.

It's okay if you don't get many things right the first time

The first time I played tennis the balls were flying everywhere except over the net.  And the first time I tried to sell a tennis membership in my first job out of college, my voice raised an octave when I asked for the sale.  I told my boss I would do better.  I've been married for more than a quarter of a century and I'm still working at mastering the art of love.  Maybe that's why Ben Fold's song, "The Luckiest," resonates so much with me.  I can relate.  The lyrics start out like this: 

I don't get many things right the first time
in fact, I am told that a lot.

Sound familiar?  Don't give up.  I'm going to share more about why I feel like one of the luckiest people on the planet soon.  For now, take a look at this YouTube video and use it to motivate yourself to keep practicing.  In the end, what matters is that you remain committed to your goals and that you refuse to quit no matter how many times you fail.  Have a great day.

What do you say or do when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer?

Her line in the sand is 2.6 years.  I found out about it last evening when I read her birthday post on her blog.  Our children will always remember her as Glinda, the witch of the north, pictured above.  I wish Glinda, aka Erin, could magically appear and click her heels three times to make her cancer go away.  That's not how cancer works.  There are no magical ruby shoes to click.  There's no wizard.  What do you say?  What do you do?

Erin offers answers in her blog.  Read what she has to say about her feelings.  Don't be a cowardly lion.  Be a friend.  Cancer sucks.  Please keep my friend in your prayers.  The world needs more people like her.  

Erin, I confess, I really don't know what to say or do.  I struggled to find words when I sat next to my dad in the doctor's office and heard the c word for the first time.  Dad's line in the sand was 35 days.  It hurt.  My mother-in-law crossed the line in the sand shortly before Christmas the first year I got married.  Everyone has their own line in the sand.  For cancer patients, it's more visible.  Maybe you can pull your wand out of the closet from your time in San Diego and grant me one wish:  appear here on this blog as my guest and help my readers learn what to say or do when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer?   Good luck tonight.  Love from the Mulligans. 

What would you do with your Mulligan?

A mulligan is a second chance to perform an action, usually after the first chance went wrong through bad luck or a blunder.
 
If someone gave you a second chance to something different with your life today, what would you do with your Mulligan?  I got one of these gifts at the end of August from a doctor named Mulligan.  He asked me to be a lab rat in his experiment and I said yes.  This mulligan is life-changing and I'm using it to pay it forward so others may get a second chance with food related challenges they may be going through.  Thanks to my mulligan, I no longer have blood pressure issues.  My cholesterol numbers are in the normal range and I lost 32 pounds of fat.   Anyone who wants a mulligan can have one.  That's what the next phase of the experiment is all about and it starts on New Year's Day, 2016.

If you're struggling with your weight or other food related issues, sign up for your mulligan today and join 100 participants in a 21-day experiment that may restore your health.  All you need to do is give up processed foods for 21 days and restrict your diet to fruits, veggies and nuts.  It's worth it to have a second chance on new life.  Let me know if you're in.  Click here to sign up.  Have a great day.

Food Sacrifice

Your health is your most valuable asset.  When it declines, it becomes a liability.  If this happens to you, don't fret.  There's hope.  You can turn things around but it requires a sacrifice.  You must be willing to give up certain foods in order to attain something of greater value – a healthy body.  Most people aren't willing to make a food sacrifice if requires too much effort or time.  Ask yourself how long it took for you to gain all those extra pounds you're carrying around every day.  It didn't happen overnight, did it?  Would you be willing to make a food sacrifice that's only 21 days long?  If the answer is yes, read on.

I'm looking for 100 people willing to make a food sacrifice for 21 days.  It's phase III of the Caveman Food Experiment.  If you decide to participate, you will be asked to sacrifice all processed foods and concentrate on a diet of fruits, veggies and nuts.  Avoid eating anything that walks, swims or flies.  Skip the salad dressing.  Pass on dairy products.  Wine is okay but no more than one glass a day for ladies and two for men.  Phase III starts on 1/1/16.  The sacrifice you make for 21 days may change your life.  This happened to me when I gave the food experiment a try.  Now it's your turn.  Email me and let me know you're in.  Your body will thank you for the food sacrifice.  Please share this story with a friend.  Have a great day.

The Best Way to Deal with Fear of Change

Are you one of those people who fear change?  It made the list of top regrets dying people have.  They regret how fear of change kept them from doing things they wished they attempted.  Please don't wait until you're on your deathbed to confront your fear of change.  I have a solution for you.  Ready?  Here it is:  Change your life right now.  It begins with your decision to confront your fear of change and simply change.  This means saying good-bye to the same old routine that's getting you nowhere and saying hello to a new life filled with limitless possibilities.

I know one thing for sure about my deathbed.  There won't be any regrets there.  Not a single one.  This is because I'm not afraid to look at my life, see what needs attention and then make the necessary adjustments to improve.  It means letting go of some things and embracing new ideas.  It means looking in the mirror.  It means asking questions.  What's holding you back?  Give change a try.  Your new life is waiting for you.  Have a great day.