Rally Call – Players and Sponsors Needed for New Social Media Weight Loss Game

 It's called Rock, Paper, Caveman.  It's a social media game involving up to 99 players who are competing to see who will lose the most weight by Valentine's Day, 2016.  First place wins $100.  I'm asking my friends to donate door prizes.  This is the game that may save someone's life – maybe your own.  The rules are simple:  Every time you eat you pick rock, paper or caveman.  The rock is your choice to keep eating the same way you always eat.  No food changes means no weight loss.  Choose the rock too often and you won't lose much weight.  Your second choice is paper.  Your meal choices are based on the commercials you watch on TV sponsored by companies who have something to gain or the latest fad diets you read about.  You're taking your chances when you choose paper.  Your third choice is to eat like a caveman.  I started eating this way near the end of summer as a food experiment.  I'm 32 pounds lighter as of today.  I lost 4 and a half inches off my waist.  My blood pressure and cholesterol readings are now in the ideal range.  My food choices include unlimited fruits and veggies.  I also eat nuts.  I did this for 45 days.  It changed my life.  I believe if you eat like a caveman for 45 days you will have the best chance to be the biggest loser.

Now is the time to rally your friends who want to lose weight and have fun at the same time.  The food game begins tomorrow on New Years Day.  Email me if you would like to play or if you're interested in becoming a sponsor.  Have a great day.

Review the Old Slate Before You Begin the New Year with a Clean Slate

Before you start your New Year with a clean slate, take a look at the past year and see what you can learn from it.  This is the best time to review what worked and what didn't.  Did you start 2015 with bold plans?  Were you consistent with your goals or did they fizzle?  How did you handle unexpected obstacles?  What are you going to do differently in 2016?


One of my biggest surprises this year was dealing with two major goals that didn't seem to get along with one another.  If these goals were singers, each had their own tune.  I couldn't find the harmony.  The rhythm was off.  It was like watching two dancers on the dance floor fighting over who should lead.  I'm referring to my life as a writer and as a person who desires to be healthy.  My challenge was that the more I wrote, the less I exercised.  I didn't realize how conflicted I was until I visited my siblings on a family vacation in late August.  That's when life got interesting.  The lesson I learned is that aligning your goals is like playing the piano.  When the left hand and the right hand cooperate, you can play beautiful music.  You can have an amazing life.  So that's what I'm doing in the New Year.  I'm building on the lessons I learned in 2015.  How about you?  Remember, you have a clean slate.  You already know how to create based on years of experience.  Use your favorite colors from your past and maybe mix in some new ones to paint your best picture ever in 2016.  Have a great day.

Introducing Rock, Paper, Caveman – A Food Game

Rock, Paper, Caveman is a food game that may save your life.  It started out as an experiment.  The rules are simple – give up processed foods for 45 days and choose fruits, veggies and nuts at every meal.  I'm seeking 99 contestants who will weigh in on Jan 1, 2016 and play the game until 12:00 noon on Valentine's Day.  The player who loses the most pounds wins one hundred dollars.  I'm working on some other prizes from sponsors.  Here's how it works:

Every time you eat, you have three choices.  Your first choice is to pick "rock."  This choice is based on your past food habits and your upbringing.  It's the status quo.  Consider how this choice is working out for you.  Is your waistline out of control?  How is your cholesterol?  Do you need blood pressure medicine?  How many times per week do you eat fast food?

Your second choice is "paper."  It represents the media.  There's lots of conflicting reports about what foods are best.  If you're trying to base your food choices on the latest fads reported in the news, you may find yourself confused.  It's challenging to discern the best food moves when the food charts you study in school are sponsored by people who have something to gain. 

Your third choice is "caveman."  It's your choice to eat the way your ancestors eat.  Cut out any foods with a label every time you shop.  Processed foods are silently killing you.  Your body doesn't know what to do with genetically modified foods.  Skip out on fast foods.  Give up pop.  Eat like caveman for 45 days and avoid the rock or the paper.

After you've been playing rock, paper, caveman for a while, your friends may notice your appearance changing.  Be careful.  They may try to beat you up with their rock when you tell them you're eating like a caveman.  They may pull out a book that challenges the caveman theory.  Your best answer is to tell them it's only a game and your trying to win one hundred dollars.  I'm not forcing you to pick the caveman every time you eat but I do believe those who choose the caveman most often will probably lose the most weight.  Let's see what happens when the game ends on Valentine's Day.  Do you want to play?  The first 99 players who sign up are eligible to win prizes.  Click here to email me and enter "sign up" in the subject line.  Don't forget to weigh yourself on Jan 1.  Have a great day.

Rock, Paper, Caveman – A Food Game You Can Master in 45 Days or Less

Did you ever figure out how to win at rock, paper, scissors when you were growing up?  Everyone has their own theories.  It's just like your food choices.  Consider your "rock" as your choice to keep eating the way you always eat.  Your "paper" choice represents your food picks based on what's in the news or the latest fad diet.  Everywhere you turn, there's a new diet to try.  Your third choice is the Caveman Food Experiment.  No rock.  No paper.  No phony food pyramids sponsored by people who profit by feeding us their artificially sweetened garbage.  The idea is to eat like a caveman for the next 45 days.  Your ancestors never ate processed foods.  They never drank pop.  Genetically modified grains weren't on their menus.  Your ancestors never worried about heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.  They didn't play games with their food because they only had one choice – to hunt and gather enough food to survive, one day at a time.

Do you want to play rock, paper, caveman?  Do you want to master the game?  If you're willing to give up your rock and your paper and stick with the caveman for 45 days, beginning January 1, 2016, there's something in it for you.  The first 99 players who sign up will be eligible for some prizes.  Details will be announced before the game begins.  Stay tuned.  Please share this with anyone you know who may be interested in participating.  Have a great day.

Seeking 99 Contestants for Food Challenge Beginning 1/1/16

Do you like competition?  I'm hosting a new social media game limited to 99 players that begins on January 1, 2016.  Contestants will be playing for prizes and a chance to be featured in my next book.  Will you be the biggest loser?  Bookmark this blog and make sure you record your weight when the game starts on New Years Day.  You can reserve your space today by sending me an email with your name and email address.  Have a great day.

Introducing a New Food Game You Can Play to Lose Weight and Win Improved Health

Did you eat too much yesterday while you were celebrating Christmas with your family?  Are you sick and tired of that over-sized belly?  What about all your other health concerns?  Are the ghosts of your Christmas's past still haunting you about all those resolutions you broke year after year?  Maybe you need to stop making resolutions and start playing more games.  Yes, you can have fun, lose weight and improve your health in 45 days or less.  I need 99 players.  Winners will be featured in an upcoming book along with before and after pictures.

The rules of the game are simple and the game starts on January 1, 2016.  Take a "before" picture anytime before January 1 and save it for later.  Get on the scale and record your starting weight.  Check in with your doctor and let him or her know what you're doing.  Although you will be competing with up to 99 other players, your greatest competition will be yourself.  You must overcome the temptation to give up.  Here's what you'll be eating and drinking until 12:00 noon, on Valentine's Day, 2/14/16:

• Fruits (unlimited)
• Vegetables, especially the green ones (unlimited)
• Nuts  (Don't overdo it.  You are what you eat!)
• Water
• Wine (Limit:  2 glasses per day)

Here's what's not allowed:

• Processed foods (anything with a label)

The game is limited to 99 players.  New players may join the game at any time but the odds of winning are greatest for players who enter on the first day of the competition on 1/1/16.

Players will be able to track their performance and monitor the competition weekly on a social media page.  There will be some fun prizes awarded at the end of game.  Top 10 finishers have the option to publish their pictures and success stories in my next book, to be released on 5/1/16.  Bookmark this blog and come back on January 1 to enter.  Share this with your friends.  Have a great day.

Merry Christmas – 2015

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ~ Isaiah 9:6

Our Father in Heaven likes to keep things simple.  He sent his only Son to us in a place far off with no electricity or running water.  It's so easy for us to forget what today is about because there's so much clutter in the word.  It's not supposed to be so complicated.  Keep it simple.  Remember, you're celebrating a birthday today.  Merry Christmas!

A Christmas To Believe In

Here's a Christmas video by Matthew West to help you get in the Holiday mood.  May the Spirit of Christmas be upon you.  I dedicate today's post to all the families out there who may be missing a loved one at the Christmas table.  Peace be with you.  Merry Christmas.

Confessions of a Food Dummy

I have no one to blame but myself for my food dumbness.  No one forced me to make all the wrong food choices that caused my insides to inflame and my blood pressure to spike.  I'm waiving my Miranda rights here for the benefit of others who may be unaware that certain foods they're eating may be silently killing them.  Here's my confession:

"Bless me Father, for I have committed numerous food sins.  This is my first time admitting to you I'm a food dummy.  I listened to the false prophets who tempted me in the classroom with their phony food charts.  I became addicted to processed foods and hoarded enough dairy to put a cheese head on every Green Bay Packer fan in Lambeau Field.  Thank you, Father, for the angels you sent me to help me see the errors of my ways.  My act of contrition is to help others make smarter food choices not so much by words but by my actions.  Please forgive me for all my food sins and help me to be a better reflection of you in all the years to come.  Amen."

Please join me on New Years Day, 2016 for details about Phase III of the Caveman Food Experiment.  Have a great day. 

Congress Repeals COOL

My food motto lately has been, "if it has a label on the package, don't eat it."  Soon there will be one less label to read.  Congress just repealed a law requiring countries to put COOL (country of origin labels) on all meats.  Countries outside the US fought the law and the World Trade Organization threatened sanctions.  No more COOL.  This may look bad for consumers but I believe local farmers can still get a win.  Why not put a voluntary label on the package touting the local farmer?  This is one label I would be happy to read, especially if "grass fed" is on the package. 

What do you think about COOL?  Does it matter to you where your meat comes from?  Do you pay attention to the food labels when you shop?  If you're considering joining me in the "no label" food experiment starting January 1, 2016, please bookmark this blog and come back for an adventure.  I'm seeking 99 volunteers to join me in the next round of an amazing food journey.  Please pass this story along to a friend who may be seeking a new approach to healthy eating.  Have a great day.

Find Your Purpose and Everything Else Will Find You

Are you having trouble coming up with goals for the New Year?  Maybe it's because you haven't found your purpose – the meaning of your existence.  I sometimes found myself so far off the trail that I lost my bearings and wandered around in circles.  For me, this last year has been the year I found my purpose.  It's to help others find their way.  I have one major goal for 2016 – to help others rid themselves of all the foods in their lives that are causing cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other food-related diseases.  This is my purpose.  What's yours?  If you're not sure, consider these questions?

• What do others say your gifts are?
• What comes naturally for you?
• What are your happiest moments during your week?
• If you were given 24 hours to do anything you wanted to do with no outside interruptions, what would you do?
• What do you want to be remembered for when you die?

Write your answers down and use them to help you find your purpose.  Before this year is over, use your answers to help you set goals for 2016.  I already know I will need 99 volunteers to help me achieve my primary goal next year.  Stay tuned for the details.  Have a great day. 

Would you like to have a food epiphany in the New Year?

My next project is specifically for those seeking a mulligan on their food habits.  Resolutions are being replaced with something better – a food experiment.  This is no ordinary trial or observation.  This adventure will be set up as a social media game that begins on January 1, 2016.  Interested?  Stay tuned.  I'm working on the details.  Please share this with anyone you know who wants to try a new approach to healthy eating.  Here's a checklist to help you get ready for some New Year fun:

1. Take a "before" picture and save it for later.
2. Get a blood pressure monitor so you can monitor any changes during the experiment.
3. Get a digital scale for accurate weight monitoring. 
4. Notify your doctor that you are making food changes if you're on medicine in case your needs change during the experiment.
5. Get a food journal for daily tracking and note taking.

Have a great day.  

'Twas the Last Weekend Before Christmas

'Twas the last weekend before Christmas
and all through the malls
all the shoppers were stressing
Stop! Stop! Stop!
This is not how the story goes.
Rewind.
'Twas the last weekend before Christmas,
the weather may not be what you expected,
but a baby boy is coming soon,
and he's the reason for the season.
Have a happy weekend.

Seeking 100 Volunteers for 21 Day Food Experiment

Forget making New Year's resolutions this year.  I have something better to offer you and it will only take 21 days to complete.  You can label it whatever you like, food experiment, food challenge, etc.  The idea is to study 100 people willing to give up processed foods (anything that has a label on the outside) for 21 days while restricting their food choices to fruits, veggies and nuts.  Up to two glasses of wine per day is okay.  Participants on medication are asked to check in with their doctor.

If you have a history of heart disease, high cholesterol or high blood pressure in your family, this experiment may be of interest to you.  Bookmark this blog and come back on January 1 to begin.  Please share this post with anyone you know who may be willing to give this experiment a try.  Have a great day.

Queen of Hearts

I'm feeling a lot like that poker player who nearly lost it all in the early rounds and stayed in the game long enough to find new life.  There's wisdom knowing when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.  You can't win unless you learn to let go of things.  Four years ago I looked at my cards and did my best to keep a poker face on in spite of a losing hand.  The sharks smelled blood in the water.  The queen of hearts appeared to be smiling back at me.  A tiny voice inside my head said "discard everything but your queen of hearts and go all in."  I listened.  It was a gutsy move. 

My queen of hearts is still smiling.  We have much to be thankful for.  I appreciate all the people in my life, especially my wife, who encouraged me when the chips were down.  Don't ever give up.  Life is good.  It's like a fine wine that gets better with age.  And the best is yet to come.  I'm a believer.  Have a great day.

What's in Your Forecast for 2016?

I'm surprised how the weather patterns changed late in the year.  My friends in Arizona and California are dealing with snow and cold weather while I'm enjoying the green grass here in the Midwest.  Our attitudes are like the weather – they don't always match our expectations.  They start out sunny and bright in January but turn cold when the fog rolls in and we lose sight of our goals.  Some have failed so terribly at predicting their achievements for each new year that they don't even try.  I have an idea to help you make 2016 your best year ever.  Ready?  Here goes:

1. Expect storms.  Either you're already in one or there's one just past the horizon.  It doesn't matter where you live.  When a storm hits, you're not going to be the one with that deer in the headlights look.  You're the one who stays focused on getting through the storm and you have a plan.  You're thankful you avoided credit card spending during the sunny days.
2. Your attitude forecast isn't tied to the weather.  I'm having the time of my life right now because I set up an exercise program that works even in stormy weather.  While many others are hibernating this time of year,  I'm swimming and playing tennis indoors.  There is no way Mother Nature can ice my plans to reach my fitness goals.
3. The only goals you can't reach are the ones you don't set.  Don't let your past blunders stop you from trying again.  For example, if you failed in the past to reach your weight loss goals, instead of giving up, why not try a different strategy?  Don't call your weight loss target a goal.  Make it a food experiment.  Give up processed foods for 21 days, drink one or two glasses of wine a day and fill your shopping cart with fruits, veggies and nuts.  All you have to do is shop properly for three weeks and you will drop pounds without even thinking about it.  If the food experiment works for you, keep doing it for the rest of the year.

Have a great day.  I hope you feel good about your outlook for 2016.  I'm betting you're going to have your best year ever.

Get the Monkeys Off Your Back, One at a Time

This is going to be one of my most memorable years ever because I stayed in the game long enough to get some pretty big monkeys off my back.  Some of these monkeys have been in my family so long I thought they were never going to leave.  It's especially challenging when they gang up on you and pin you down.  In the spirit of my new home state where wrestling is the number one sport, I learned some great moves, like the escape and the reversal.  Here's how it works:

1. Focus on one monkey.  Go after him.  Let him know you are focused and you're not going to give up until he's off your back.  Block everything else out.
2. Once he's gone, be watchful that he doesn't sneak back into the arena.  This means staying away from the old habits that got you in trouble.
3. Pick your next monkey.  Take on the weakest one to help you gain confidence and build momentum.  Go all out.
4. Keep going until all the monkeys are off your back.
5. Create a monkey-free zone in your life.  For example, it means using the cash envelope method to pay in advance for vacations in order to avoid vacation hangovers.

Here are the retired monkeys in my life:

Lazy Larry. Free spender Willie.  Credit card Carl.  High blood pressure Bobby.  Chronic cholesterol Charlie.  Worry Wally.  Stressed Out Sammy. 

You can do this.  If you need help in the kitchen with some new food ideas that will help you get healthy, bookmark this site and come back in time to try the Caveman Food Experiment.  If you try this for 45 days, you will get some big monkeys off your back.  Have a great day.

Daily Effort is the Secret Ingredient in Your Life Recipe

Want abundant life?  Daily effort is the secret ingredient most people lack.  They are usually the ones most eager to close out a bad year and start over with high hopes for a different outcome once the calendar flips on January 1.  A year is composed of 365 days.  Daily effort is necessary all the time, from beginning to end.

I'm satisfied all my goals for 2015 are complete and I'm already putting a plan together for next year that will push me to maximize the opportunities ahead.  When others ask about my New Year's resolutions, I'll answer with this:  "I want to change the world."  It requires daily effort all the way until the last day of 2016.  It will be something I work on every year I remain on this planet.  The plan is simple – raise awareness about all the foods we eat that are killing us and persuade others to try a food experiment designed to help them recognize they can look and feel better, live longer and eliminate most diseases like heart attacks, strokes, diabetes that are mostly food related.

A gentleman I met last week told me last night as he was packing his bags he is going to try the Caveman Food Experiment on January 1.  He's going to see for himself if foregoing eating processed foods for 45 days while concentrating on fruits, veggies and nuts will help him drop his blood pressure from 215/120 to the healthy range.  He told me he would also give up smoking during the experiment.  There are more people like my new friend suffering from food related health issues.  I'm going to keep reaching out every day to help them.  Will you help me?  Consider how you're going to use your secret ingredient to help others.  Share your life recipe with anyone you meet who hungers or thirsts for something you have that can help them have a better life.  Have a great day.

Don't Let Peer Pressure Raise Your Blood Pressure

There's one thing I won't be bringing with me on my trip next month to visit family members – 33 pounds of weight I lost when I participated in a food experiment set up to lower my blood pressure.  The experiment was a huge success.  I would label it life-changing.  It turns my body responds negatively to certain foods, causing my cholesterol and blood pressure to spike.  There now remains just one challenge on my food chart – peer pressure.  What do you do when a loved one presents you with a labor of love all wrapped up in ingredients that will kill you if you devour it on a regular basis?  It's the classic Kobayashi Maru, a science fiction no-win scenario.  Beam me up, Scotty.

The last thing I want to do is offend someone because I'm rejecting their cooking.  Most people don't understand the ugly truth about processed foods.  One of my friends told me it's almost impossible to live in America and avoid processed foods completely.  And if you have friends who try to bully you into eating the American way then you can relate to how I feel.  Here's my response the next time someone tells me, "come on, have a small piece.  A little bit isn't going to kill you." 

"No thanks.  Your cooking is so tempting that if I cave in to my desires, I may not be able to stop.  I may become a food addict and eventually die from diabetes, a heart attack or stroke.  I know what happens to me body when I eat what you're offering me.  Thank you for understanding my situation."

My food experiment is now evolving into a social media experiment.  Is it possible to convince loved ones to change their ways?  The real test for me is in January.  Have a great day.

3 Ideas to Consider for New Years Day

Are you looking for a great way to start your New Year?  Here are three ideas to help you get off to a great start:

1. Watch the Rose Bowl on January 1.  My hometown team from Iowa is making its first appearance in 25 years.  At an average asking price on the resale market of $900, it's the hottest ticket around.  I'm a value guy so I'll be watching at home with my family.  This game epitomizes what happens when you unite a bunch of people with above average talent in pursuit of worthy goals.  This is entertainment at its finest.
2. Take a walk.  I don't know what the weather will be like on New Year's Day but it won't stop me from taking a stroll with my wife.  Add this to your daily regimen and your body will thank you.
3. Try the Caveman Food Experiment.  This is especially for you if you're one of those people who has trouble keeping resolutions.  Participate for just 21 days and your done.  The experiment is to help you discover what happens when you focus on fruits, veggies and nuts for 21 days while refraining from any processed foods.  I believe if you do this you will be on your way to your healthiest year ever.

Bookmark this blog and come back on New Year's Day.  I'm seeking 100 people who want to try a new approach to healthy eating.  Have a great day.

Reduce Your Worries in Five Minutes

Worry – a state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.

You can't make your problems go away unless they're self-inflicted and you're willing to make changes in your life to eliminate the root cause but you can reduce your worries about the problems in five minutes.  Ready?  Here you go:

1. Make a list of all the things you're worried about.
2. Put a yes next to the worries on your list you have control over.
3. Put a no next to the worries on your list you have no control over.
4. Set the timer for five minutes and use that time to decide what changes you're going to make for any worry marked yes.
5. When the timer goes off, get busy working on your list of changes.  Tell yourself you don't have time to dwell on any worries marked no.  The "no worries" are preventing you from the "yes challenges."  The yes challenges lead to solutions.  

Spend five minutes every day going over your yes challenges in your mind.  The more you work on these, the more uncertainty you will remove from your life.  Eventually the no worries will drift away and your anxiety will be reduced.  Try it.  Have a great day.

Hail Mary Food Play Extends Season

Two men from California with the same last name made history recently with an amazing Hail Mary play and it happened with no time left on the clock.  The Green Bay Packers were granted an untimed play thanks to a penalty.  Click here to see the video.  The announcer called the play a rainbow of a prayer and it was answered in the end zone in a sea of Tiger opponents against all odds.  The play reminds me of a similar Hail Mary pass involving two players in the game of life also with matching last names.  Dr. Mulligan huddled with his lab rat and told him to go long.  His receiver limped into the end zone.  Touchdown!  The play granted new life to the lab rat.  It was a game changer.  The opposing team was stunned.  They had no idea something like this could happen.  Here's what Dr. Mulligan told his receiver in the huddle:

"The other side is going to be all over you.  They're going to try to smother you with their overweight bodies.  Don't freak out on me.  Remember your training.  Your plant-based diet you've been on these last 45 days is going to make the difference.  Your blood pressure is normal.  Your cholesterol readings are normal.  This Hail Mary is for you.  Don't let anyone take the ball away from you.  I expect you to stay in this game for a long time.  You can do this."

Special thanks to the quarterback who believed in me.  My season has been extended.  I will use the extra time on my clock to help others turn their game around.  It starts with the training.  Fruits, veggies and nuts for at least 21 days.  Fluids should be restricted to water and wine.  Up to two glasses of wine per day is fine.  No processed foods.  Find the end zone and jump for the ball when it's thrown to you.  The next food experiment begins on New Year's Day.  Will you join 100 players in the next huddle?  I hope you answer the call.  Have a great day.

The Processed Food Jig is Up

I met a young man yesterday who is in eminent danger of sudden death.  He refuses to get help even though his last blood pressure reading was 220/115.  He won't quit smoking.  I looked directly into his eyes and told him, "you're going to die.  You must change your ways immediately."  He fired back a list of excuses.  His dad had open heart surgery at age 21.  His brother died suddenly.  "It's my genes," he answered, exposing his perceived hopelessness about his situation.  That's when my adrenaline kicked in.  I knew it was my turn to be an angel in this man's life and I wasn't backing down.  I shared my own blood pressure success story and offered him hope.

Food awareness is the key.  My actress friend who is dealing with cancer wrote in a blog story, I avoid certain foods now because I know they feed my cancer.  Most of us have been duped by the supposed food experts who trick us into believing processed foods are safe.  We're dying in record numbers.  This doesn't have to be our reality.  All we need to do change our ways, give up processed foods and make healthy food choices.  The processed food jig is up.  I'm not backing down.  Please share this story with your loved ones.  Have a great day.

Angels Among Us

I met an angel yesterday at my day job.  They sometimes disguise themselves as humans so they don't frighten us but I knew almost immediately something special was happening.  I felt uplifted.  My challenges seemed less overwhelming.  The timing of the conversation was perfect.  There was a special gleam in her eyes near the end of the conversation when she said, "Merry Christmas," before disappearing into the crowd.

If an angel shows up in your life when you need one the most, don't be startled.  They are intuitive creatures who somehow know exactly what you need to get back up after a fall.  They may go by familiar labels such as cousins or coaches but I know there's some kind of super power inside them that sets them apart from others.  Today I want to send out a big thank you to all the angels in my life, both past and present, who help me navigate this most awesome challenge course I call life.  Thank you.

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.