Live Every Minute

Imagine you're a sheep dwelling in a flock of 100.  Something happens and you get separated from the other 99.  My gut tells me you feel emotions you probably don't like.  There's separation anxiety.  Perhaps some fear creeps in.  Nothing magnifies the senses like a dark cloud of doubt or uncertainty.  How refreshing it must be to hear the voice of the shepherd who left the other 99 to find you in the wilderness.  His willingness to find you no matter how far you strayed shows how much he loves you and cares about you.

The truth is you don't have to wait to hear your shepherd's voice when you feel alone.  He's always with you, even in your darkest moments.  I had one of these moments nearly six months ago when my life on earth almost came to a conclusion.  I didn't wait for my shepherd to call me when I was in the trauma center.  I called him, perhaps a thousand or more times through the night when I was flat on back writhing in pain from seven broken ribs and an injured spleen.  I wasn't sure if I would return to my old life.  In a way, I never really did.  Something better happened to me.  My life got better.  Maybe it was this gratitude I was feeling that I was alive, even though the pain was overwhelming.  Never again will I take my life for granted.  I went through some kind of spiritual experience like Denis Waitley describes in his quote above.  "Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed.  Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every moment with love, grace and gratitude."  Be happy.  Have a great day.

Why Debt Reduction is Serious Business

Debt is a form of slavery.  You have the ability to break out of prison if you're willing to make changes.  As someone who has climbed the highest mountains and survived the deepest valleys, I can assure you the view from the mountain peaks is worth pursuing.  You don't need to remain confined for a lifetime if you're willing to make sacrifices.

There are people on both sides of the fence who have a vested interest in your debts.  The credit card companies, banks and mortgage people want a long term relationship with you.  Those on the other side of the fence will take your money to show you how you can escape the misery of overpaying those high interest rates causing you to suffer in debt Hell.

Your first step out of the valley of debt is to find out how deep the water is before you drown.  Add up everything.  Itemize every debt you have.  Calculate how much money you're spending in interest.  This may make you sick.  This interest is money you're paying others to make them rich while you struggle to make ends meet.  This money could be your retirement investment instead of someone else's yacht.

Stop using your credit cards immediately.  Pay cash for everything.  Focus on the one debt you have with the smallest balance and do everything you can to pay it off as fast as you can.  Stop eating out.  Eat beans and rice until you gain control over your finances.  Drink water.  Don't worry.  You won't starve.  When that first debt is paid, move on to the next smallest debt and double up.  Keep going.  Don't stop until all your credit cards are paid off.  Move on to your auto loans.  When those are paid off, open up a savings account and contribute monthly "car payments" until you have enough to pay cash for your next vehicle.  It's amazing how fast you can do this when you stop paying interest to others and pay yourself instead.  Your final frontier is your mortgage.  You may be surprised how fast you can eliminate this debt when it's the only bill you have.  You can do this.  Debt reduction is YOUR serious business.  Have a great day.

How I Found My Swag

North Face is the answer to my prayers for the perfect travel solution.  The duffel bag you see pictured above is a top pick from several travel experts I follow.  The sale price of $83.96 and free shipping offer from backcountry.com got my heartbeat going.  This bag is small enough for carry-on travel and big enough to hold everything I need for camping in the mountains or on the beach.  The straps allow me to carry it like a backpack while I'm hiking and it's waterproof.  There are larger versions available but I chose the 50L size to make sure it never leaves my side when I'm flying.

For those times when business attire is necessary, my new swag will be stashed away inside my standard carry on suitcase.  Fortunately, my duffel bag folds up neatly and takes up very little space.  One quick trip to the restroom when I land and I can make a switch like Clark Kent changing into Superman.  Be on the lookout... I may be coming to an airport near you soon.  Have a great day.

How Daily Discipline Can be Life Changing

The One I follow has all the wisdom, discipline and understanding I need to be the best version of myself I can be. The key word for me is discipline.  That's because wisdom and understanding don't just happen overnight.  They emerge out of the fog when I chip away with steady doses of daily discipline.  Put all three ingredients together and you have the ideal recipe for a rewarding life free of stress and worry.

Choose any area of your life and apply daily discipline to wipe out excess weight, eliminate a debt or achieve an important long term goal.  I'm a big believer in momentum.  It comes from persistent discipline that delivers small victories.  Small wins inspire continued discipline and bigger results.  Finally, wisdom and understanding come into the picture.  Yes, discipline can be life changing.  Commit your life to the direction you wish to go and keeping  climbing.  Your reward will be the best version of yourself you can be.  The One I follow will help you if you ask.  Have a great day.

Got Balance in Your Life?

One of my buddies at my day job told me he posted one of my quotes,  "work less, travel more," on his refrigerator door next to a Henry Ford quote.  Many of my peers are on the fast track for management.  I'm moving over to the slow lane where I find much comfort and joy.  For me, life is all about balance.  Every choice is often a trade.  Be cautious.  Make sure your choices line up properly so you achieve the life you want.  Have a great day.

It's a Food Fight

If you're not sure whether you're winning or losing the food fight, check your waistline.  It's more challenging than ever.  Even my beloved lab rats are struggling.  Who really wants to skip out on the fast food in favor of fruits, veggies, nuts, beans and seeds?  Part of the problem lies in the propaganda disguised as helpful eating tips dispensed by the supposed gurus from our own government agencies.  These false food pyramids containing processed foods will lead others into trouble.  No wonder Americans are the biggest losers in our modern day food fight.

It took Moses forty years to lead his people out of the desert.  Sadly, my next book resembles his timeline.  My lab rats may not be around long enough to find the promised land if they keep sneaking those desserts into the break room when they think I'm not looking.  The enemy I'm fighting is powerful, especially because it uses special weapons and tactics that lure others into a life of sickness and disease that is food related.  The only thing I have going for me right now is my own determination to win the food fight.  I'm not giving up.  Surrender is not and option.  Stay tuned.  Have a great day.

More Like Jesus

It's not easy.  It works like this:  Imagine Jesus is filling in for you today.  Every time you're in a tough situation, ask yourself, "How would Jesus handle this?"  You may be doing a mundane task.  How would Jesus do it?  You may be in the middle of a heated argument.  What would Jesus say?  You may find yourself stuck with no way out. What would Jesus do?

I'm going to do this exercise today.  My desire is to be more like Jesus.  How about you?  Would you like to give this a try.  I'm curious to see how I feel at the end of the day.  It will be an interesting experiment.  Have a great day.

Do Something

Have you ever been afraid to do something because you're not sure if it will work?  I can guarantee you one thing – do nothing and your situation won't improve.  Do something and it might work.  That's better than doing nothing.  Doing something is your starting point.  Build on that.  Have a great day.

Get Healthy

Beware of the dangerous toxins around you.  They're everywhere – your thoughts, your food supply and your environment.  Good health is optimized when all three areas of your life are functioning properly.  Pay attention to your body, mind and spirit.  If you feel more like a withering plant than a thriving champion of your dreams, you're probably struggling with a deficiency in one or more areas of your life.

Your body cannot be healthy if you're feeding it garbage or failing to get some exercise.  Nor can your mind if negativity is seeping in from outside sources.  Your spirit is where all your dreams and creativity reside.  Failure to allow your spirit to recover from adversity or enjoy nature will prevent you from getting healthy.

You deserve a healthy body, mind and spirit.  Eat right, sleep right, exercise right and think right.  Be consistent.  Get healthy.  Have a great day.

Master the Day

Life can sometimes appear overwhelming when you try to understand the meaning of it.  When the doubt creeps in like a morning fog you may feel like you don't know which direction to go.  A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.  No one ever told me the destination is really only a hundred miles away but there happens to be 900 miles of false starts, false peaks and endless setbacks.  That's really what life is.  I know one thing for sure, mastering the day keeps me on the trail.  One day at a time.  One step at a time.  Keep climbing.  And relax.  There's beauty in the setbacks.  There are lessons in the false starts.  Master the day.  Don't worry about tomorrow.  Breathe.  Have a great day.

Need Motivation?

Are you there yet?  I'm referring to where you want to be.  This applies to every area of your life.  A football team doesn't stop until the game clock expires.  Neither should you.  Don't wait for someone else to motivate you or inspire you.  The fact that you aren't there yet should be enough motivation.  Be consistent.  Develop good habits.  Never quit.  Have a great day.

Your Biggest Challenge is Your Compass

If you're running away from your biggest challenge, you're going in the wrong direction.  You will never become the person you're created to be if you choose to live in fear.  That's exactly what people do when they're afraid of something – run.

My compass points me in the right direction every time.  I have no trouble finding my way.  It doesn't matter how long it takes to complete a challenge or how much energy needs to be invested.  The key is to keep moving forward.  Do whatever it takes.  You have the ability to move mountains.  Have a great day.

Music from the Earth

The morning temps are in the low 60's today and we have a steady rainfall.  Our windows are open wide and the gentle sounds of nature are streaming in.  An occasional trumpet burst from Mother Nature's thunder add exclamation points to the high notes.  The music from the earth is peaceful and comforting.  Take time to listen and enjoy the symphony.  Have a great day.

God's Recipe for Spiritual Growth

Remember when your mother told you to eat your vegetables so you could grow up strong and healthy?  As much as we hated to follow her advice, it's amazing how spot on are mother's are.  It reminds me of how the Holy Spirit is working in our lives.  Everything we need for spiritual growth is there for our daily consumption.  I would like to  thank one of my teammates for inspiring today's blog message through a text she sent this morning.  Here are some of the ingredients in God's recipe for spiritual growth:

• Relationships that break down
• Friendships that dissolve
• Careers that end
• Finances that crumble
• Witnessing a loved one pass
• Car accidents
• Sickness
• Challenging bosses

These ingredients are God's veggies.  He knows what you need to grow spiritually.  You're not in charge.  If you feel that you are, you're consuming processed foods that will eventually kill you.  It's not about the flavor, it's about what's good for you.  Trust what God serves you.  Have a great day.

Bucket List Items Crossed Off

My wife and I promised each other we would explore new places and last week we discovered the beauty of the Northwest.  We crossed off two states from our bucket list we had never seen before, Montana and Wyoming.  This picture was shot at the same place Lewis and Clark stood when they were charting maps for the state of Montana in the town of Dillon.

The people in this area all share one common trait – happiness.  Maybe it's the connection they have to nature.  Perhaps it's the vast open spaces where the bison and the elk roam.  It could be the fresh air and the super low humidity.  These people glow.  Not only are they friendly, they're also helpful to families like mine who wander into their towns.

My vacation is officially over.  We logged over 700 miles of driving during our time in the Northwest.  Now it's time to get back to the honey do list and my day job.  I would like to congratulate my boss at my day job for being selected for our next new location in our home state opening in late October of this year.  I'm hoping to help introduce ourselves to new patrons.  I have a feeling they're going to be as kind and friendly as the people I met in Montana and Wyoming on our family vacation.  The next adventure is right around the corner.  Have a great day.

High Low

One of my favorite questions to ask my loved ones at the end of the day is high low.  Each person is asked to share the highest and lowest point of the day.  I can't share what others say here for privacy reasons, but I'm more than happy to share my answer.

My low yesterday was knowing this adventure is coming to a conclusion.  Any opportunity to be with our adult children automatically makes the day a ten no matter what challenges come up.  It's like
savoring a good book and you suddenly realize the story is almost over.

My high is exploring new places with my family at my side.  May you become a fan of the high low questions.  This allows you to fully understand how your loved ones feel.  Have a great day.

We're Celebrating Our 29th Anniversary Today

I would like to wish my wife a happy 29th anniversary.  We're on a special adventure today and we'll be completely disconnected from the outside world.  Have a great day.

You're Never Too Old To Change Your Ways

I celebrated my 58th birthday earlier this month.  Most people in my age group are so set in their ways that change appears to them as an enemy.  They're  missing a tremendous opportunity to discover a new life.

If you're interested in experimenting a little bit with your approach to your daily life, ask yourself, "is there a better way to do this?"

I thrive on last minute changes without any regard to how much time or energy was invested in the original plan.  In this phase of my life, I'm becoming a student majoring in the fine art of "flexibility."  I encourage you to pursue this as a life goal.  I'm sure of one thing, I will never stop learning.  Have a great day.

One Easy Way to Improve Happiness

How much time do you spend with nature?  Your answer may reveal why you feel so good or feel like something is missing in your life.

I'm one of the lucky ones who grew up in a family where weekend camping was a way of life.  I lived in a southern California community for 22 years that bordered the Cleveland National Forest and often hiked.

The place I'm visiting now on family related business is filled with happy people.  They may not even know why they are so happy.  Imagine living in a place where there are national parks at every turn or uncrowded roadways with speed limits at 80mph.  This is the good life.

Do yourself and your family a favor and get outdoors.  Have a great day.

Blogging on the Road

I'm using the two finger typing method to bring you these daily messages while I'm on the road.   Under normal circumstances, these stories would be prepared in advance but the honey do list consumed every available minute of my usual writing time so I'm winging it a bit this week.

I'll share more about my adventures when I'm able to be reunited with my laptop.  Have a great day.

Part One Honey Do List Complete

I'm breathing a sigh of relief this morning.  The first phase of the honey do list is officially complete.  The smile on her face tells me all I need to know about how she feels.  I couldn't have done this without the help of our youngest son who provided the muscle necessary to do the heavy lifting.  The next two parts of the honey do list are staring at me but I must catch my breath before moving forward.  I'm off to my day job and then back to the tennis courts for a fun night of practice.  Have a great day.

On the Run Again

The honey do list is in full motion today.  It's taking all my free time and most of my energy but seeing the look on her face is worth every minute.  I'm on the run.  Have a great day.

Courage

Never give up.  A little courage goes a long ways.  I'm in the middle of a very long honey do list this week and there are some things on the list I've never done before.  The good news is I have courage.  I'm not afraid to tackle new tasks.  I also learned to ask for help when I'm in over my head.  My prayer for you today is you have the courage to face challenging situations.  Have a great day.

Would You Like to Try the 2% Mindset?

98% of the population will argue against busting out of your comfort zone because they believe you should live like everyone else.  They want to protect the status quo in order to protect the safe choices they make.  For me, the comfort zone is like a prison cell.  Don't listen to the other prisoners who are trying to convince you to remain locked up.

Give the 2% mindset a try.  I suggest a minimum of a 30 day trial period.  Think of it as learning to ride a bike.  Please don't give up after one fall.  That's part of the process of learning something new.  The rewards of a 2% mindset are worth any temporary pain you may experience.  Have a great day.

Win the Short Races

I really like breaking things down into smaller pieces.  Sometimes, those big projects can seem overwhelming when you consider them as one long marathon.  Consider limiting your perspective to one small race you can easily win and give it all your attention until you cross the finish line.  Your victory will motivate you to race again tomorrow and the next day.  Life is a series of short races.  Keep going and stay the course.  Have a great day.

Be Relentless

You have an ultimate purpose.  Do you know what it is?  Your friends and family members may be able to assist if you're not aware of what your purpose is.  Ask them to share what talents they see in you.  These talents come from the Creator.  The sooner you discover your talents and get busy refining them, the sooner you will develop the necessary skills needed to reach your ultimate purpose.  This is the point where you will set the world on fire with your passion.  Be relentless.  The world needs you.  Have a great day.

Thank You for the Birthday Wishes

I would like to thank my friends and family members for all the birthday wishes yesterday.  It was a stellar day from start to finish.  Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to send a card, text, email or social media birthday wish.  I also appreciate the phone calls.  I cashed in my free buffet meals at our local casino and ate like a king with my family before heading off to a parade in our community and a fireworks show in our backyard.  The morning tennis with my teammates was also a highlight.  I'm thinking of the angel, Clarence, from It's a Wonderful Life.  He said it best when he told George, "Remember no man is a failure who has friends."  Thank you for being a friend!  Have a great day.

Spiritual Contentment

If you've been following this blog for a while, you may be wondering, "where are these stories going?"  You may be searching for some kind of solutions.  There are days when I feel like I'm going in circles.  I meander.  My life is  like thousands of puzzle pieces scattered all over the place and I'm doing my best to make sense of the clues I find in the people I meet and the daily lessons I encounter.  My guess is the first followers of Jesus felt the same way.  They really didn't understand Jesus until he was gone.

The one I follow spent 40 days wandering around in the desert.  His people were lost in the desert for 40 years.  Getting lost is part of the journey.  The older I get, the more I realize the hidden treasures found in what Jesus teaches.  Today I'm going to dwell on one thing – contentment.  Contentment is the secret to a thankful life.  Have a great day.

Steps to a Debt Free Life

If you're contemplating a debt free life but don't know where to begin, today's message may be helpful.  The longer you wait, the more challenging the road is.  This is because you lose something valuable – mile markers.  The more of them there are between you and your financial independence goals, the more you can use time to your advantage.

Financial gurus will offer you a tool that explains mile markers as "multipliers."  They teach their followers what's known as the rule of 72 (72 divided by your interest rate = number of years to double your investment).  If you know the interest rate you're earning on your savings, use division to find out what mile marker you need to reach to double your savings.  If your interest is 10%, you need to get to mile marker 7 (7.2 if you're a math whizz.  Mile marker 7 might not mean too much because your money only doubles one time.  Mile marker 14 doubles your money 2 times.  The sooner you get on the road to saving money, the better because those last mile markers give you the most rewards.

There are road blocks on your journey you need to overcome in order to reach those critical mile markers necessary for your retirement years.  The credit card offers may look inviting when you get them in the mail but they will hurt you if you find yourself paying interest to others.  Get rid of these debts as fast you can.  Make sacrifices.  Pay cash for everything and only use reward cards when you develop enough debt discipline to pay zero interest as you navigate the road to financial freedom.  Don't use a credit card unless you already have the cash in the bank to pay the bill when it comes next month.

A debt free life is possible.  Start today.  Have a great day.

Joy All the Time

If you're waiting for something good to happen in order to get joy in your life, you're missing out.  Joy is for all times, good and bad.  It's the kind of happiness that doesn't depend on what happens.  I found abundant joy in some of my darkest moments.  It's a decision.  The world needs more joy.  Be the person who offers joy to others.  It's contagious.  Spread some joy today.  Have a great day.

What Change Teaches

Show me a person who handles change well and I'll show you a wise person.  There was a time in my life when I falsely believed change was something that could hurt you or set you back.  The truth is change is what unlocks the door to new possibilities.  Change is how you learn lessons.  Change is how you mature.  The more you deal with change, the wiser you become.  Ponder what's on the horizon in your life.  Don't fear the storm clouds.  Embrace new opportunities.  The world can benefit from your wisdom.  Have a great day.