How Will You Welcome the New Year?

 Here we go again.  This year is almost over.  Today is a great day to review your last twelve months and see what alterations may be helpful for the next twelve months.  In sports, whether it's the first quarter, the first period, or the first inning, a strong start can set the trend for the rest of the game.

What is your opening going to look like.  Do you have a game plan?  What are your goals.  I happen to be off for the first five days of the New Year.  Mother Nature is going to dump as much as a foot of snow, maybe more on opening day.  I'm viewing her as my helper for my own opening drive for my top priority, completing the Bible in a year.  Mother Nature is taking away any temptations I may have to go outside.  My plan is to set up a daily routine I can follow all the way to 12/31/22.

How will you welcome the New Year?  Try some new plays.  Set new goals.  Team up with people who can help you become the best version of yourself.  Be aware of potential challenges and don't let anything or anyone stop you.  Have a great day.

The Spiritual Line in the Sand

 You may not be able to see it.  It's the spiritual line in the sand.  The first humans, Adam and Eve, knew exactly where this line was.  God himself placed the line and explained that crossing that line would have consequences.  The Evil One was there to observe.  He looked for weaknesses knowing that if these humans could be tempted to cross the line, he could claim victory.

Long before humans were created, there was a spiritual line in the sand in Heaven.  The angels never even considered crossing that line because everything was perfect.  I'm not a theologian so I can't tell you exactly why nearly a third of the angels decided to cross that line.  Perhaps God shared his idea of creating humans with bodies and souls.  These angels don't have bodies.  Maybe they got jealous.  Lucifer, the brightest angel of the group decided one day to cross the spiritual line in the sand.  He convinced many other angels to cross that line with him.  God summoned his archangel, Michael, to cast these angels out of Heaven.  It was 2/3 against 1/3.  Great odds if you're a betting man.  No wonder the demons hiss when they hear names like Michael, Gabriel, Mary, and Jesus.  

Beware the spiritual line in the sand.  Crossing it has consequences.  I have crossed that line many times.  I could blame the dark side for this but I would rather blame myself.  The good news is that there is a way to get back to the right side of the line.  There is a perfect solution.  The demons know about this solution and they are doing everything in their power to prevent judgment day, the day when Jesus comes back to see which side of the line we choose.  If you know him, he will call you by name.  

How do you get back to the good side if you find yourself on the wrong side of the line in the sand?  Ask Jesus to forgive you.  Tell him you're sorry.  The truth about Jesus is he died for you so you could cross the line and come back to God any time you want.  Don't wait too long.  The day will come when you are either welcomed to Heaven for eternity or doomed to Hell with all the other fallen angels who chose to cross that line.  Have a great day.

This is How You Change the World

If you're one of those people who believes you have nothing to offer, please stop it right now.  You are uniquely qualified to do something no one else in this world can do.  Comparing yourself to others will get you in big trouble because these others are also uniquely qualified to do what they do.  When we work together that's when the magic happens.  If you play your role properly, you will walk on water and you will move mountains.  All of Heaven cheers for you because you are fulfilling your purpose.

Changing the world is easy, right?  I get it.  You're reading this and you want to know what I'm smoking.  There are times, especially at my day job, when I look up and I see a line of people waiting for help.  The Christmas season is our busiest time of the year.  It's easy to succumb to heavy workload.  The only way I get through my days is to focus on the one person in front of me.  The same is true in every other area of my life.  What is the task in front of me?  What is my purpose for the moment of time I'm existing in?  When I clear my head and focus on the moment, the world around me doesn't seem so daunting.

Don't worry about changing the world.  Focus on changing yourself.  Find your purpose.  Make sure the tasks you perform in your daily life match the skills you have been given.  Have a great day.

God Wins

 Despite all the trauma the world is suffering these days, there is one thing I'm certain of.  God wins.  We as humans don't always keep our promises.  All I have to do is look in the mirror to find the guilty party.  I promised two books by the end of 2021 and that's not going to happen.  It really doesn't matter how hard I try.  I understand just how powerful the dark side is, especially in these trying times.  Doubt creeps in.  I question why I keep struggling.  Why does the other side care so much about my tiny contributions?  

There is this immense spiritual battle going on.  Most of us can't see it.  The strategies used by the dark side are cunning.  They insert false prophets in order to cause dissension among believers.  They find our weaknesses and exploit them.  In my case, they go out of their way to stall me.  They did the same thing with the chosen ones when Hitler invited the dark spirits in to exterminate God's people.  The dark side knows they can't win.  That doesn't stop them from tempting us to their side with their empty promises.  

The best way I know how to fight back is to get close to Jesus.  We don't know exactly when He's coming.  I suspect the dark side is getting nervous.  They are going all out to silence anyone who dares stand up to them.  Your best defense against the evil in this world is to read the Bible.  Join God's team.  Surround yourself with people who love God.  Don't give up.  Pray to Jesus.  Ask for help.  Forgive those who hurt you.  All you need to know is that God wins.  He wants you on the winning team.  Are you in?  Have a great day.

How I Found Jesus

 The title is a bit misleading.  I apologize.  It's the marketing gene inside me that inspires me to attract others to my stories.  When you think about it, isn't that what you really want?  Don't you want to find Jesus?  Well, the truth is, Jesus found me.  If you haven't heard my testimony before, this is my story.  It's really not pretty.  

Before I spill the beans, I want to encourage you to find Jesus.  It doesn't matter who you are, what you've done, where you live, or how deep that hurt is inside you.  What matters is that you can find Jesus when you seek him.  Or, if you're like me and you feel so lost that redemption is out of the question, allow Jesus to find you.  I promise, Jesus will drop everything and come to you if you really want recovery.  

My Testimony

I grew up as a cradle Catholic.  I know many in my denomination who follow all the rules of our upbringing but don't really know Jesus.  Sadly, checking all the boxes of our faith doesn't really help us to know Jesus like so many people I know outside of my denomination who are on fire for Jesus because they have been "born again."  Yes, there are cradle Catholics who have experienced this but it usually takes some kind of extraordinary experience to know Jesus like I now know him.

I had many strikes against me in my youth.  We had an Irish priest who ruled with an iron fist.  It didn't help that his accent was so thick I could barely understand him.  He put curfews on the young priests who served under him.  They didn't stay.  We were forced to go to church every Sunday.  The real reason I went was to be the example to my five younger siblings.  They didn't know I sat in what we called the "crying room" in the back of the church reserved for the moms with their babies.  When no one else was around I often turned the volume off and just sat there.  

There was this difficult time in our household that inspired me to pray with great fervor.  I felt abandoned because my prayers weren't being answered.  My family disintegrated and I moved out, mad at God for not healing my family.  I carried this anger with me all through college and beyond.  Hatred and prejudice invaded my heart and I stopped going to church.  When I did pray, it was for wisdom so I could survive life on my own.  I felt God was simply too busy to really be in a relationship so I didn't even really try.

I met my future wife in a place where I hung out with my closest friends.  All I wanted to do was be with her.  She was the one.  She went to church every Sunday.  I wanted to be with her every day so I returned to God's house, this time with something to thank God for, the woman of my dreams who happened to be a cradle catholic.  Every prayer I prayed was of gratitude.  

We moved to a small town outside of San Diego and began raising our family.  Our pastor was an Irish priest who had a hard life before finding Jesus.  At his lowest point he was living on the streets drinking up to a gallon of vodka a day.  There was this authenticity in Fr. Pat that made me want to know this Jesus he spoke about on a deeper level.  On the surface I was doing all the things you would expect from a good person but inside my heart I held on to the pain from my past and I couldn't let go.  Forgiving others was out of the question.  No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't let go of my grudges.

My wife and I attended a couple of retreats.  We learned to communicate on a deeper level.  I ended up with a small group of men on the last day of the retreat and I told them about my grudges.  I confessed that I didn't have the power to forgive.  It was the last meeting before we went to church for a final blessing from Fr. Pat.  We did something called the "laying of hands," an ancient ritual for summoning the Holy Spirit.  Father placed his hands over the leaders who guided us during the retreat and they went out to the congregation to repeat the process with all of us.   I had my first "Jesus" moment.  I didn't see him but I felt his presence while we looked at a massive line of people standing in formation directly in front of us.  Every one of them was an enemy. I found myself thanking Jesus for each and every one of these people.  Some time later I woke up.  The church was dimly lit and nearly empty.  I was different.  My relationships with others were enhanced, even with those I considered as my enemies until I had that life-changing experience with Jesus. 

I was inspired to get my own personal Bible.  I  really didn't know how to read it because my family never really did anything except own a pristine Bible that remained on a shelf collecting dust.  Sure, we had scripture in our masses but that doesn't work when you're in the crying room and the volume is turned off.  I got this Vulgate Bible not really knowing what it was.  Well, Vulgate is a Hebrew-to-Latin translation filled with all kinds of  "thees and thoughs" and many other words not common to modern English.  It's not the best Bible for newbies like I was.

One day a visitor came to our church in Southern California.  I'm not sure where he came from or what denomination he was from.  He didn't talk about himself.  He shared about how you can get close to Jesus by pretending there is a mirror in your Bible when you read the stories.  This way the characters are actually you and God in the Bible story with you.  Some may argue that what I did when I went home was some form of Bible roulette or Bible bingo.  I can assure you with 100% certainty that what happened exactly mirrored my own life and how Jesus found me.  I called out to Jesus during my teenage years.  He dropped everything and came to me.  There was Jesus in Luke 8:26-40, fresh off the boat after calming the sea.  He interrupted his mission to help me, a lost sheep.  Jesus waited until I was ready to understand with my heart just how much he loved me.  There I was, a demoniac possessed by multiple demons.  Jesus was preparing his followers, all Jews, to change the world and he dropped everything to rescue me.  He heard the screams of a young teenager who was begging to be taken away from this world because he could no longer live with the demons who invaded his heart.  This young teenager wrongly believed that only suicide could help.  What did Jesus do?  He got in the boat, took his followers with him, healed the demoniac, clothed him and told him to go "publish" all the good he had done for me.  Unless you happen to own a vulgate Bible, you won't see the word publish.  This word is only found in the Vulgate version and it pertains to my life because I'm a publisher.  That's why I was awestruck by the passage I read that exactly mirrored my own life, past, present, and future.  That's what the Bible is, the Living Word of God who became flesh, completely unbounded by linear time as we know it.  This Jesus in the New Testament leapt out of a 2,000 year old story and answered my prayer.  

Here's the best part of my testimony.  You are a part of this story.  That's why reading the Bible and understanding it is so important.  When the man in the demoniac story gets healed, all he wants to do is follow Jesus.  Jesus needs to die on the cross soon and can't have this man around because it's not time yet for the Gentiles to be a part of the salvation story.  That comes with the Resurrection.  Jesus tells the healed man, "Sorry, you can't follow me.  Go tell everyone about me.  I'll be back."  The "I'll be back" part is not only for the healed man 2,000 years ago in Luke's story, it's about us and when Jesus returns. 

Maybe you're asking, "Michael, why are you sharing your testimony?"  I believe my real job on this planet is to do just what Jesus asked the healed demoniac to do, "Go tell others all the good I have done." 

The final "Godincidence" I want to share has to do with a youth pastor I met while on assignment at my day job in Duluth, Minnesota.  My mother was as excited as a jackpot winner when I told her where I was headed because the person who inspires her most is an Irish priest from a family of six, just like our family.  I didn't know how famous he was when I was seeking him in order to thank him for helping my mom with her spiritual growth.  I found him and I thanked him after attending a private mass he offers for his students in Minnesota.  It turns out that he offers a Bible-in-a-year podcast.  In my dad's words, "He is world famous."  He is also easy to understand unlike that Irish priest with a thick accent we had growing up in Phoenix.  I'm pretty sure Fr. Mike would love for you to join him for his daily podcasts.  I would love it, too.  My mother is also all in for the daily podcasts starting January 1.  Click here for the link to the podcast.  If you make it all the way to the story I shared here about the demoniac, I hope you remember what I shared here and that you offer a prayer for me and my family.  Although Jesus may have cast the devils out of my alter ego, those dark spirits always seem to appear when I'm doing what Jesus asks of me.  Thank you for allowing me to share my testimony here with you.  Have a great day.

You May Not Believe This

Something strange happened at Christmas Mass.  Even my pastor looked puzzled as he pulled out my Communion Host.  He's done this hundreds of thousands of times in his ministry.  He looked at my host as if something was out of place.  I noticed right away that my host was actually two hosts that had been bonded together.  They weren't stuck.  That would have been an easy fix.  No, they looked like they had somehow been compressed.  Any nonbeliever would argue that this was a random error in the preparation process.  The more God reveals Himself to me, the more I see "Godincidences," 

We all have our own belief systems.  Many people need to see proof in order to process what they observe through their perceptions.  A leap of faith is out of the question for these people.  Others are able to take a leap of faith.  For those who tend to doubt things, I'm going to do my best to share this story as if the double host was just some kind of random accident.  Something happened in the process that caused my bread to change.  You're with me I hope.  Now, let me ask you a question.  Doesn't it seem odd to you that I would be the one to get this modified host on this day, Christmas Day, a day when my dad was born and he had a twin brother?  I suspect the timing of this has Supernatural involvement, just like the "twin rose" that bloomed at my sister's house when my dad passed away.  The location of this twin rose was in close proximity to the front porch where my dad and his twin would visit during his final days.

If you're still reading today's story, I'm going to offer one final food for thought.  It's a bit controversial in the world of doubting Thomas's but I'm going to share because I happen to believe yesterday's event was a God moment and not an accident.  What if the bread we receive is really the Body of Christ and not simply a symbol or something we do to remember Jesus?  That's what a minority of us in our branch of God's family believe.  I say minority because most refuse to believe a simple host can somehow be changed in that way, even though that's what we are taught.  The first time Jesus told the crowd that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood, most of the crowd walked away in disbelief.  The twelve that remained are the ones responsible for sharing the good news which is now our Bible.  The Word of God is God.  If you're in the minority of followers who happen to be in my denomination, you know something Divine happens at the altar every time.  I'm thankful for the twin host I received on Christmas day.  Coincidence or Godincidence?  These answers will be given at the end of time.  Have a great day.

The Broken Window

 Jesus was walking the streets of Heaven.  Something seemed amiss.  He summoned St. Peter, the gate keeper tasked with letting the proper people in.  Here's a bit about their conversation...

Jesus:  "Hey Pete, we need to talk.  I'm noticing something that bothers me and I need to know if you understand what having the keys to the kingdom really means.  Come on, man.  There's butt heads and rift raft all over Heaven.  What in the Hell is going on?"

Peter trembled, noticing that temper flaring.  He hadn't seen Jesus boil over since the peddlers on earth invaded the temple and turned the place into a pawn shop.  Jesus exploded, overturned the tables, and cast everyone out of his Father's house.  Was this scene about to be repeated in Heaven?  There was a long pause before Peter could spill the beans.

"Please don't blame me, Jesus," Peter stammered.  "It's not my fault.  I've been checking everyone's papers.  It's your mother.  She's letting everyone in through the window."

Jesus looked up and noticed a broken stained glass window.  He sent Peter back to his post at the Pearly gates and walked over to the broken window.  Sure enough, it was broken from the inside.  He long suspected that his mother was secretly visiting the planet earth to share the good news about her Son.  Jesus decided to follow the shards of glass and gather them up to make the necessary repairs to the broken window.

Here's the rest of the story...

Those shards of glass were scattered all over the earth.  Each colorful piece represents you, me, and billions of others.  Yes, we are all broken.  Not only are we broken, we are also blind.  We cannot see how we are all created to be together.  We belong in Heaven as part of the Father's kingdom.  Sadly, the window was broken when the first humans were cast out and doomed to a life outside of paradise.  

Jesus did come to earth to make the necessary repairs.  The chosen ones were hand-picked by the Father to  prepare the world for the repairs.  They falsely believed they were the only significant part of the broken window.  In fact, they got really mad when they were told about some of the butt heads and rift raft (us) that would be allowed into the Father's house.  When the repair man showed up, he wasn't on a high horse and he was unarmed.  Must be a false Messiah, they all assumed.  It's really bad news when you assume. 

Take a look around you.  Do you notice that all the shattered stain glass pieces are still broken?  Do you notice how everyone is fighting over who is right, who belongs, and who is wrong, and doesn't belong?  Maybe you sometimes want to be the judge.  I urge you do look closely at your own shard of glass.  I don't know a lot of things but I'm sure of one thing.  You belong in the window.  You belong in the kingdom.  The only one who is worthy to keep you out is Jesus and right now he's inviting you in.  Today is his birthday.  Have a conversation with him.  Ask him to help you get along with all the other broken pieces.  Yes, they are different from you.  They come from all kinds of denominations.  Remember who created each broken piece.

Some day we will all be back in the kingdom.  Today is an excellent day to celebrate that great first day when the Messiah came.  It's also a great day to ponder what the world will look like after the Messiah returns to complete his assignment.  Don't forget to thank Mary for saying yes when the angel visited and asked if she would become the mother of God.  Keep in mind that as the Immaculate Conception she was free from the original sin that doomed all of us to brokenness.  Without her yes, we would be forever broken.  Happy birthday, Jesus.  Merry Christmas.  Have a great day. 

Get in the Spirit of Christmas

 Happy Christmas Eve Day.  Our family is getting ready to celebrate and we're excited.  How about you?  Are you surviving these busy times?  I'm sharing a link to the movie we watched recently on the big screen.  It's free to view on YouTube.  If you are searching for a way to get in the spirit of Christmas, this may be your solution.  Here you go.  Click here to put yourself in the most magical event of all times.  Have a great day.

Molecules and More for Improved Health

 There are nearly 8 billion people on the planet.  We all have one thing in common – we are all aging and death is inevitable.  Of those 8 billion people, there are approximately 11,000 in a private FaceBook group following one man who has dedicated his life to studying the aging process.  This man, Dr. David A. Sinclair, is a Harvard Medical School professor who believes we can live longer by making changes.

Can you live longer?  Do you want to give something a try that may improve your odds for increasing your lifespan?  Keep in mind that Dr. Sinclair is a PhD and not a medical doctor so it's important to consult your physician before making changes.  This story is not meant to serve as medical advice and is for information purposes only.  Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, let's talk about molecules.  The molecules I'm taking are the same molecules the human body produces.  Unfortunately, over time, the production of these molecules subsides.   When this happens the end caps of our DNA strands, called telomeres,  shrink and eventually disappear.  That's when something terrible happens.  Left unprotected, the DNA strands begin to fray.  Dr. Sinclair believes this is a contributor to the aging process.

You may think you are doing everything right to slow down the aging process.  If part of that thinking includes eating three meals a day, you may want to read Sinclair's book, "Lifespan."  He believes there is a better way.  He rarely eats more than one meal a day.  Sounds radical, doesn't it?  Intermittent fasting alerts the body that the food supply may be in danger.  The body responds.  What happens is that the body prepares a defense and the result is increased longevity.  I would like to add that I'm one of the 11,000 people in Dr. Sinclair's group and I really enjoy the personal stories.  I shared with the group that I no longer get tired on the tennis court.  I feel like the energizer bunny.  Only time will tell if these ideas will help me live longer.  Consider today's story as an invitation to explore molecules and more on your own and see if this is worth giving a try.  Have a great day.

Taking a Mulligan on the 36th Hole

These last 36 months playing "Par for the Course" have been intense.  I originally planned to complete the game by the end of this month.  I need 2.5 months of Mulligans (do-overs) to complete what began as a three year quest to retire over $100,000 of mortgage debt.  The final payment will include over $900 of free money from my credit card company.  It's strange to be beating the banks at their own game.  

Par for the Course can be applied to any area of your life.  I'm planning on applying my lessons learned to my boldest goal for 2022 – Reading the Bible in one year.  I'm using the remaining time in this year to set myself up for success.  The first months are the toughest.  Any time you are developing a new skill or habit you will suffer setbacks.  I ordered a color-coded Bible complete with a matching color-coded study guide.  Also, I signed up for a podcast to help me listen to the Bible.  Binge watching two seasons of The Chosen is also helping me to get in the right mood to embrace the Word of God, the most powerful love story ever created.  

If you care to join me on the journey, I will be sharing my progress throughout the year.  Have a great day.

Signs of an Afterlife

Think about how different the world would look if all the people around you believed in eternal life.  Death would no longer be the end.  Even the demons know that we live forever.  For them, time is short.  They are doing their best to confuse us.  Too bad they can't cover up all the signs of an afterlife.

If you are searching for signs of an afterlife, turn to the greatest love story ever told.  You may need to join a small group or invest in a study guide to help you find the clues.  They are embedded in the ancient writings of the Old Testament.  The New Testament is where you discover the truth unveiled.  I'm investing one year of my time next year to read the Bible cover to cover.  Have a great day.

How Are You Doing With Loving Your Enemies?

If you're singing Kumbaya with your enemies, congratulations.  This is no easy feat.  I do my best to follow what Jesus teaches about this but I often fall short.  Hating others is not good for your soul.  Be very careful if you're having trouble loving your enemies.  Your hatred will attract others who feel the same way.  Hatred is more contagious and more deadly than any virus.  Why?  Because hatred can condemn you to an eternity of Hell if you can't address it.

What would happen to this world if all of us could find a way to love our enemies?  I have a feeling we would be much happier.  This isn't going to happen overnight.  Start small and see what happens.  Encourage your family to pray for those who hate you.  Let go of all your gripes with others.  Pledge to leave all your hard feelings behind when the new year begins.  Have a great day.

Do You Have Trust Issues with God?

My spiritual life is filled with all kinds of twists, turns, and surprises.  The deeper I delve into my relationship with Jesus, the more I realize just how many trust issues I have.  It's easy to have trust issues with others.  Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.  I always do my best to avoid the fool me twice part.  What about God?  Does he ever try to fool you?  Does he want what's best for you?  Do you believe he is involved in every aspect of your life?

I remember when I decided to trust God with almost everything.  I say almost because I never really liked all the stories about how Jesus seemed to avoid money so I held onto that part of my life.  I noticed an interesting pattern.  Every area of my life improved except for the one thing I kept control of – my finances.  God must have been having some good laughs watching me flounder.  It wasn't until I reached the end of my financial rope that I finally turned over the money.  Well, there weren't any assets.  I gave Jesus my liabilities and said, "You're in charge of everything."  

I'm happy to report my trust issues are waning.  I don't believe this happens until you confront your trust issues and realize God really does care about every detail of your life.  If you believe he wants what's best for you, you will let him be in charge of everything.  God doesn't want to fool you.  He wants a relationship.  Have a great day.

Aim High

 Show me where your target is and I bet I can get a sense of your level of confidence in your abilities.  Two weeks from today we will all have a clean slate.  The fresh start gives us fresh opportunities.  You may feel like your past failures are already setting you up for failure.  Maybe you won't even set new goals.  Or, if you do set goals, maybe you will aim low because you are afraid to fail.

Challenge yourself to aim high.  Why?  Because big targets lead you to big wins.  I would rather aim high and fall short than aim low and only achieve small victories.  Sure, you will fall short at times.  That's okay.  Keep shooting.  Keep getting back up every time you fall down.  Think about your big targets now before the new year sneaks up on you.  Have a great day.

Your Checklist for 2022

We are now two weeks away from another new year.  This is a great time to review the good, the bad, and maybe even the ugly from this year as it comes to a conclusion and make a checklist for 2022.  I believe preparation goes a long way to getting things done.  What areas of your life would you like to improve?

My checklist for 2022 is shorter thanks to the work I've been doing for all the previous years.  Physical fitness is now a way of life.  So is healthy eating.  I'm going to be focusing on my spiritual life in 2022.  These final weeks of the year are my time to get everything in position to make sure I'm ready on day 1.  I ordered a new Bible complete with a study guide to help me with my Bible in a Year podcasts.  My hope is to be crossing the finish line about this time next year.  This will be my top priority.  What's yours?  Make a checklist to help you prepare for your best year ever.  Have a great day.

The Morning After

I had this eerie feeling in my gut when I heard the weather forecast calling for straight-line winds up to 70mph with tornado warnings for our state.  The storm was due to strike just after my late night tennis night last night.  My wife cautioned me to get home before the storm hit.  I felt my odds were better inside the steel building where we play indoor tennis.

The sirens went off about ten minutes after we began our 8pm session.  Tree branches struck the outside of the building while the sirens blared.  We played for two hours and wrapped up after the winds calmed down enough to make driving home plausible.  Overturned semis dotted the interstate.  Our hometown was completely dark.  The only light on our street was from a battery operated wreath that served as a beacon of hope.  

We regained our power in the middle of the night.  Today we return to normal.  I would like to thank my friends and family for praying for us and our community.  Have a great day. 

Coming Up for Air Today

 Today is going to be a more "normal" day.  I'll put in eight hours at my day job and then hit the tennis courts for a late night session ending at 10pm.  I'm fortunate there is a space for me because I'm not part of the regular session as I was away when the slots filled up.  My body responds well to intense play with my teammates and we're celebrating a big team win from last Saturday.  

The reason I'm coming up for air today is because I nearly drowned myself in binge watching the perfect series to help me prepare for Christmas.  I've nearly completed two seasons of The Chosen in a span of two weeks, mostly from the last two days.  The fire stick I received yesterday allowed me to stream the episodes directly from my phone to my TV.

How does it feel to be coming up for air?  The truth is I can't wait to get back to the series and watch the remaining episodes.  I told my wife how stirred up my spirit is and she said, "Can you set it up for me?"  Well, we watched the first two episodes together, her for the first time, and me for the second time.  Never in my life have I seen something that inspires me like this series.  They found the perfect actor to play Jesus.  The supporting cast is made up of real people.  I'm thankful for the people who put this together.  There are ten days until Christmas.  If you want to do something special to get ready, discover The Chosen.  You can watch it on YouTube.  Better yet, find a way to set up your TV so you can stream from your phone in high definition.  Make sure to come up for air before Christmas.  I don't want anyone to drown on Jesus.  Have a great day.

The Waiting Game

 Remember when you were a kid and you couldn't wait for summer vacation?  Or Santa Claus?  I still feel this way sometimes as an adult.  Waiting is challenging.  I'm waiting for my artist to finish my illustrations for "The Adventures of Castaway Wilson."  I'm waiting for some really amazing vacations in 2022.  And I can't wait to share my next books with you.

What is the best way to wait?  A wait and see approach leaves you on the sidelines.  I prefer action.  Action puts you in the arena.  It seems to accelerate time because you're moving.  

God plays a different kind of waiting game with us.  He knows the best timing for everything.  I'm working on trusting his timing rather than my own.  This is not easy for me.  Maybe the "Bible in a Year" that I'm attempting for 2022 will help me better understand the waiting game.  The biggest secret God is keeping is when he is planning on sending his Son to us.  As kids, we all knew when Santa was visiting.  Well, it's not that simple with Jesus.  How are you doing with waiting for Jesus?  Have a great day.

What is Spiritual Prosperity?

There are many in this world who believe it's all over when you die.  I'm not one of these people.  Spiritual prosperity is the label I'm using for the final chapter in "Live Long and Prosper."  The idea is to share lessons learned during my time on this planet.  I'm approaching this subject from the point of view of someone who often viewed the world from some of the deepest valleys a soul can encounter.  That's where I learned my lessons.  That's where I discovered my faith.

Put aside your conceptions about the afterlife for a moment and consider what your life would be like if you were to take a leap of faith.  Maybe you're the type of person who needs proof before you can take a position.  Let's start with evil.  Can you see evidence of evil in this world?  If so, where does this evil come from?  Is it possible there are beings in the spiritual realm who don't want you to discover the truth about who you are, where you're from, and where you're headed?  

The Bible is a great way to search for the truth.  It begins with Genesis.  This is the place where the first humans had it all.  I believe all of us were created to live in spiritual prosperity.  Unfortunately, our ancestors got kicked out of the Garden, thanks to temptation from the dark side.  Darkness comes from the absence of light.  These evil beings were created to live in abundant spiritual prosperity.  Something happened.  Like us, they got kicked out.  They're angry.  They will do everything in their power to take us all down to their level.  They are trying to keep us from taking that leap of faith because they know that when we find the truth of who Jesus is it's game over for the dark side.  

Thank you for the opportunity to share my stories with you.  As you search for your own spiritual prosperity, here's an idea to help you along the way.  Ask yourself is the people you are around are helping you get closer or further away from the truth.  There are positive and negative influences all around you.  Find a community that can help you in your quest.  May you live long and prosper.  Have a great day.

Update on the Molecules

 I love experiments.  They help you discover what works and what doesn't work.  There are now over 10,000 people in a private Facebook group who are sharing their personal experiences with molecules, the same molecules our bodies produce.  Check with your doctor before trying anything new to make sure you are getting the proper advice.  I'm simply sharing what's going on in my life and molecules are on my mind.

It's now been a year since I added Trans resveratrol and NMN to my daily routine.  These molecules are making a difference with the mice who are being studied by Harvard professor, Dr. David A. Sinclair, the author of "Lifespan."  The mice who are on these substances seem to be more active, especially when it comes to tread mills.  Sinclair isn't sure that his success with mice will translate to humans.  He's not waiting.  Neither is his family.  I'm not waiting either.  What I'm doing may not be considered scientific.  Something is happening.  Yes, this could all be some kind of placebo.  That's okay with me because I like what's going on.

The last three months have been challenging for me because of my schedule.  I was a bit nervous about playing a league match yesterday because I've only practiced twice since the end of September.  The match was grueling.  What it came down to in the super tiebreaker was stamina.  I'm the only player who never sat down between games.  Including warmup time I was on the court for three hours.  I felt like I could play another couple of hours but time was up and we eked out a win despite my lack of practice time.  The difference?  I believe the molecules are playing a role and I'm one happy lab rat.  Read "Lifespan" if you would like to know more about these types of experiments.  Have a great day.

10 Additional Weeks of Penalty Strokes Needed to Reach Financial Freedom

 I'm on the 36th month of playing "Par for the Course."  The original idea was to wipe out all of our debts in three years including our mortgage.  I charted every stroke and kept score while making necessary adjustments to my spending habits.  The first year was a bit ugly, just like my real golf game.  The shots were wild and out of control.  Something happened along the way.  I got a grip on my spending and turned bogeys into pars during the second year.  This year has been mostly eagles although not enough to make up for a horrible first year.  Something extra is necessary to reach the finish line – penalty strokes.  

I was tempted to change my deadline during the first six months of playing "Par for the Course" because all those missed targets made the finish line appear unrealistic.  I didn't factor in all the practice I needed to get my financial life in order.  It would be really easy to set the target at March 18th, 2022, because that happens to be the second paycheck of the month and that should cover all my penalty strokes from that first year.  While that may be easily attainable, I'm shooting for something extra special... St. Patrick's Day.  While my dad was still with us on the planet he had a favorite mantra, "Everyone needs a little luck."  Well, I'm hoping he and my other ancestors can help those financial winds blow the right way for my final strokes and that I can finish on our favorite day of the year. 

Remember this when you decide to achieve financial freedom:  Commit yourself to continuous improvement and play the game to win.  Be consistent with this.  Whatever you do, don't give up.  Even though I may need several additional months to reach my goal, I'm still years ahead of the game.  The only ones losing here are the banks.  The irony here is that my final payment will include about $950 of money from my credit card rewards.  My wife and I made a deal that we would do this as long as we made sure to never pay interest on the card.  Stay tuned for the conclusion of "Par for the Course."  Have a great day.

Family Gives A+ Rating to The Chosen

 We watched The Chosen on the big screen last night.  There aren't many movies out there that can move you like this one.  Kudos to the creators of this series now in multi seasons due to the popularity.  Stream The Chosen through the free app and check it out for yourself.  If the special Christmas episode is available, check it out.  It's not necessary to go to the theater.  I did this for two reasons.  Firstly, to reward the filmmakers for their efforts.  Secondly, I wanted to go big for Jesus and seeing him on the big screen can only be topped by seeing him in the second coming.  This is a great way to prepare for the sequel which won't require any actors.  Have a great day.

Jesus on the Big Screen

 Date night is here.  We're watching Jesus on the big screen.  I knew I was on the right track when friends told me how much they're enjoying The Chosen, available on your phone through an app.  I checked out the first three episodes this week to help prepare for a special Christmas episode we're watching on the big screen tonight.  

If you are on the outside looking in and you want to know what Christians see in Jesus, go to the movies.  Maybe you're already a believer but want to explore more about Jesus.  This is the real deal.  I can't think of a better way to experience Jesus during this special time of the year.  Have a great day.

The World Lost a Good One

 RIP, David Clubb.  Thank you for being an awesome tennis teammate in high school.  Thank you for keeping in touch over the years and for introducing me to Angela who is my publicist thanks to you.  The last time we were together we were celebrating the life of another mutual high school friend.  It was a great send-off for a special person.  Little did I know this would be our last meeting.  

My cousin Mark paid tribute from Mulligan's island located in Mexico last night with my favorite song composed by him.  The song, Time, reminds all of us what is important.  Thank you, cousin Mark, for the awesome dedication.  

David, you always gave your time generously to your friends.  You cared for both your parents during their final days.  You finished the race here on earth.  The rest of us still have work to do.  I'm going to challenge myself to use my time wisely to do things that matter.  I'm back on the tennis courts tonight.  David, I'm dedicating the rest of my season to you.  Until will meet again.  Enjoy your eternity.  Have a great day.

Can You Pass the Enough Test?

 Don't worry.  The world won't see your answers.  This self evaluation is for your eyes only.  I'm calling it the enough test.  It's pass-fail.  You either have enough or you don't.  It applies to every area of your life.  Ready?  Here goes...

1. Do you have enough time?
2. Do you have enough talent?
3. Do you have enough education?
4. Do you have enough friends?
5. Do you have enough money?
6. Do you have enough joy?
7. Do you have enough self-esteem?
8. Do you have enough love?
9. Do you have enough faith?
10. Do you have enough rest/relaxation?

How did you do?  Are you satisfied with your grade?  If not, what do you think you can do to get to the point where you feel you have enough?

I would like to add that I'm happy you take the time to come visit on this blog.  I'm already making some adjustments to help me in the "enough" department.  Time is a big one for me because I do believe I have a full plate and 2022 is going to be interesting.  I'm going to do my best to avoid making excuses for any areas of my life that could use some touching up.  Have a great day.

Family Night Ahead

 I asked my wife yesterday if she would like to go to the movies for a date on Thursday night.  She wasn't thrilled with the idea because it involves driving at night and she prefers to be off the roads after sunset.  I showed her the movie trailer and it only took thirty seconds for her to say yes.  I also let her know I would drive home from my day job and pick her up so she wouldn't have to worry about driving.  Once she said yes, I turned to our youngest son and told him the movies would be on us if he wanted to join.  He accepted.  The movie we're seeing is only available this week in limited theaters.  It's perfect for the Holidays.  If you're looking for some quality family time, click the link for a preview.  Have a great day.

Hide and Seek

 Hide and Seek is supposed to be a children's game.  I've been playing a form of this game most of my adult life with God.  This is how the game is going... I hide and God seeks me.  I think I discovered my motivation for hiding.  It's safe.  I'm learning something about my life.  God doesn't like safe.  He desires vulnerability.  All I can say is I'm glad God seeks me even in the dark times when I feel like hiding under a rock.

There are many Iowa football fans who are hiding today.  We didn't just lose a football game last night.  A loss would have been hard to swallow.  No, it was much worse.  We were completely destroyed.  It will be hard to recover from this because losses like this are excruciating.  Hiding allows protection from the humiliation.  

Maybe this a good time for my Iowa friends to turn the page and seek something other than football.  There is a team that never gives up even though we don't always see what is going on during the game of life.  This is ultimate Hide and Seek.  Go ahead.  Try to hide from God.  He will seek you until the end of time.  All he wants is for you to allow him to find you and love you.  He sacrificed his only Son for you so that you can be found.  Have a great day.

Football is Big But There is Something Bigger

 The entire state of Iowa will pretty much shut down later tonight.  If you're not from around here it may not seem like a big deal to you.  The bosses at my day job know exactly how Iowans behave when our team takes the field.  They need to make big adjustments to handle the lack of shoppers during games.  Tonight is no exception.  It's the battle of the two teams vying for the conference championship.

College football may be big in these parts.  I do believe there is something bigger.  In fact, it's one of the reasons why I'm such a huge fan.  It has to do with the kids and their families who watch the home games from the 12th floor of the Children's Hospital which towers over the stadium in Iowa City.  These kids are fighting for their lives.  For them, football is a great diversion.  For the fans and the teams on the field, that pause at the end of the first quarter is the moment to acknowledge these sick kids.  Even the opponents wave to these special kids.  My hope for tonight is that our team's tradition of waving to the kids at our hospital is somehow recognized even though this game is away.  I hope these kids know we are all praying for them.  Sure, a conference championship would be nice too.  Those youngsters on the 12th floor will be cheering.  Good luck, Hawkeyes.  Have a great day.

What's the Hype About Intermittent Fasting?

 Before I offer my two cents about today's question, I'm tossing in the standard disclaimer.  Please, please, please, consult your physician and seek the proper guidance before making changes to your routine.  I'm not authorized to give medical advice.  My stories are simply meant to share what I'm doing to improve my own health.  I'm all about experiments and I certainly don't mind be a lab rat. 

Ask yourself why you eat three meals a day and throw in snacks between meals.  Is this because everyone else you know does this?  Is it because your parents passed on to you and your siblings what they learned from their parents?  Have you ever considered that the people who package your food found clever ways to modify the food so you will always be hungry?  This sounds sinister, doesn't it?  They find out what to add to your food to cause an addiction and you find yourself always hungry.  

Intermittent fasting, or time restricted eating as it's labeled by some nutritionists, is all about bucking the norms we all grew up with.  My argument in favor of this has everything to do with what I consider a failed food experiment, that is, three meals a day and eat when you're hungry.  The failure can be measured by belly size and scales.  Why not hype up intermittent fasting and give it a try for 45 days or so and see what happens?  If you can survive the temporary hunger pangs from skipping meals and your doctor is on board, experiment for yourself and decide if the improvements are worthy of making this idea permanent.  What do you have to lose?  Have a great day.

Signs of an Epic Showdown

 Like it or not, there are signs of an impending epic showdown.  The dark side will have you believe there is no such thing as eternal damnation.  Believe this and you've given yourself a permission slip to do whatever you please without consequence.  Another compelling argument is this idea that Hell is not really permanent.  It's another type of permission slip that many are opting for.  The temptation is to go to the dark side because the consequences are only temporary.  

Take a good look at the world around you.  Does it seem to be falling apart?  If you play for God's team, doesn't it sometimes appear that the dark side is picking up steam?  The prophets warned us that when the dark side is scoring points at will it happens to be a sign of the epic showdown.  The chosen ones know this.  They are vigilant.  They see the danger all around them.  I suppose you are more vigilant when you believe the whole world wants to destroy you.

I've been discovering some interesting facts about the Holocaust.  By the way, the dark side is arguing that the Holocaust didn't really happen or that 6 million Jews weren't killed.  The forces behind Hitler were actually from the occult world.  This world understands God better than most of us humans.  There were around long before we were created.  When they got this idea that they were better than God and that they could do better on their own, the good side banded together and cast them out of Heaven.  The dark side knows how the final battle ends.  They are doing everything they can to persuade us the outcome is different.  How sick is it to kill the chosen ones in order to prevent the Messiah from returning?  The dark side scored a lot of points when so many innocent Jews were exterminated.  The faith of the people was tested.  They were all asking, "Where is God?"  Perhaps the Father is simply waiting for his chosen ones to recognize the Messiah.  

Every year at this time we celebrate our Savior's birth.  It's big.  What's bigger is when that Savior comes back to claim victory.  Which side do you want to represent?  You can go with false promises or the truth.  Have a great day.

Hurry Down

 Hurry Down?  Really?  You read it right.  I'm referring to going against the flow.  While everyone else is hurrying up, you hurry down.  Slow down.  Smell the roses.  Take a hike.  Yes, spend time with nature.  Hurry uppers are so busy in the hustle and bustle that they're missing out on what's really important.  This is all about your health and wellness.

Hurry down is biblical.  Yep.  It's right there in the beginning of the Bible.  Genesis to be exact.  Chapter 2, verses 1-3.  God rested on the seventh day.  For those of us who didn't put two and two together, this verse is for us.  God doesn't need to rest.  He's perfect.  He rested to lead by example.  God made it more explicit when he gave Moses the 10 Commandments.  In Exodus 20:8, God told Moses to remember the Sabbath, to keep it Holy.  Sabbath is Hebrew for "rest from labor."  Holy means sacred or dedicated to God.  God is telling you right now to hurry down.  Especially now when the world is in a frenzy.  You don't have to go with the flow.  Be different.  Have a great day.

How are Your Holiday Spirits?

 There are many valid reasons why this time of year is so stressful for others.  The sun rises and sets much earlier depriving us of much needed Vitamin D.  There are longer lines everywhere you look.  Many of us have been locked up in our homes for what seems like an eternity due to the pandemic.  Food prices are now out of control causing a heavy burden on our budgets.  Are these things causing your Holiday spirits to shrink?

My wife and I booked a trip to Arizona recently to attend a wedding and this helped both of us get an extra shot of Vitamin D from the Valley of the Sun where I grew up.  There are some great travel deals offered by the airlines to make travel affordable and allow you the opportunity to increase your Vitamin D.  If this is not a viable option, consider increasing your Vitamin D with a supplement.  Check with your doctor to get the proper medical advice when making changes to your routine.

I would like to share one more idea to boost your Holiday spirits during this challenging time of the year.  Get some of your friends together once a week and share your ideas for uplifting your morale.  The group my wife and I joined is from our local church.  We are making new friends while reducing our stress levels.  It's so easy to forget the real reason for the season.  This is supposed to be a joyful time.  We are about to celebrate the most important birthday of all times.  I'm sure it was really stressful for the Holy family when they were about to welcome Jesus into the world.  I'm happy I was reminded that Jesus is the real reason for the season and I hope Jesus helps you to raise your Holiday spirits during this special time. Have a great day.

I'm Working on Raising My Credibility Grade

I don't have to wait for my end-of-year report card to know my grades.  Sadly, they aren't so good.  Maybe my Kindergarten teacher is some sort of prophet.  Thanks, mom, for saving that report card from Mrs. Kabrice who I nicknamed named Mrs. Kaboose.  She reported quite accurately that I could have done better.  The same is true with one more report card preserved from elementary school that my mom gave me on my latest visit.  Maybe some day I will get it right.  If you are looking for some entertainment value, read on and I'll share my self evaluation for this year.

Let's start with credibility.  I give myself a C in this category which is probably more generous than my early teachers would be if they were around to hand out report cards.  At least this somewhat average grade is higher than my grade for meeting deadlines which stands at a Big F- as this year comes to a conclusion.  More on that later.  I'm not bothered by this grade.  It's similar to calling myself in to my own personal principal's office and looking myself in the mirror for my own personal counseling notice.  CN's as we call it at my day job are meant to identify areas of improvement.  I need a plan to raise this grade if I'm going to sell more than five books.   

Who in their right mind would publish a book entitled "Live Long and Prosper" when they are mired in debt and have a health record like mine?  Yep.  I'm the one who had two strikes against me not that long ago when the fat lady in the stands was preparing her vocal cords to sing at my funeral.  I'm the guy who got sued a couple of times for my failure to follow the proper guidelines.  I'm also the guy who lost most of my fortune when I short sold my home at the bottom of the market.  The C grade is for the lessons learned and for the improvement I've made these last three years retiring my debt.

If you made it this far, I'm going to share one grade that I feel pretty good about.  Unfortunately, it's not one you see in school so it probably doesn't mean much to my teachers.  I'm giving myself an A for my ability to play games.  My buddies I grew up with still talk about the games I invented and shared with the neighborhood.  Don't worry, cuz, I'm not going to bring up "Red Rover" because this isn't the time or the place.  Three years ago I concocted a debt reduction game to help me get out of debt while doing what I love...play.  The deadline was set at 36 months.  Well, it turns out I won't finish on time.  Three additional months are necessary.  That makes the new target 3/17/22.  If you know me, you know this is the day we maximize fun and games.  Yes, it's St. Patrick's Day.  Could this be the day I finally pay off all debts including our mortgage?  My previous teachers aren't holding their breaths.  You will need to stay tuned to see my final credibility grade.  I may even shock Mrs. Kaboose and company.  Have a great day.

How to Prepare for Christmas

 If you're looking for a new way to prepare for Christmas, other than standing in long lines at the mall, I have an idea for you.  I found the author on a YouTube video that popped up out of nowhere.  When this happens I always give credit to the Holy Spirit who always knows what I need.  I watched a couple of Roy Schoeman's video testimonials and decided to order two of his books.  Regardless of where you are spiritually, check out "Salvation is from the Jews."  You don't need to be Jewish to benefit from this book. You don't need to belong to any specific denomination.  You don't even need to be a believer.  Consider this book as a way to prepare for Christmas that is not of this world.

This is my second book published by an author from Harvard.  The first book, "Lifespan," by Dr. David A. Sinclair, helped me to better understand how my body works and offered ideas to possibly extend my life on this planet.  Roy Schoeman's book is more about saving our souls.  It's a great book to help prepare for Christmas.  Click here for the link to "Salvation is from the Jews."  Have a great day.

Do This When You're Stuck

Do you ever get that feeling you're stuck in the mud?  If so, do you have a plan to get unstuck?  I know people who are stuck in the mud and sometimes I wonder if they prefer to stay there so they have something to complain about.  If you're one of those people, this story isn't for you.  I'm offering a solution based on my own personal experiences.

The first step is to realize you're not advancing.  Believe it or not, some people are stuck and they are so set in their ways that they don't even notice.  Every day is simply a repeat of the day before.  You can discover this for yourself by keeping a daily log for thirty days.  If every day you live is simply a repeat, you're stuck.

If you made it this far, you probably know in your heart that you are stuck and you want to move forward. Congratulations!  You are ready.  Let's do this.  Begin by telling the world you are making changes in your life.  Find people who are willing to help.  Avoid the people who prefer you stay in your rut because they are afraid your changes will push them to get unstuck and perhaps they're not ready so they will fight you rather than help you grow.

Promise yourself you will not simply relive yesterday.  Promise yourself to try new things.  Don't worry about failing when you get out of your comfort zone.  Recognize that the only way to get unstuck is to change up your routine.  Take one more step today that is further than what you did yesterday.  Resist all attempts by your body to keep you in the same place.  Movement is key.  Do this every day.  Have a great day.

Magical Forest in Hibernation

 The magical forest is officially in hibernation until the New Year.  I've really enjoyed writing all my stories in this cozy space in our basement.  It's time to clear some space for our Christmas tree.  I will miss my magical forest.  It's like having my own private studio.  It's hard to believe Christmas will be here in less than thirty days.  Oh, what a year this has been.  I'm officially at 90% of my debt elimination goal.  This three year target is almost at a conclusion.  I will share more about this when the magical forest is up and running again.  The next month of writing will be a bit messy without my studio but I promise to keep showing up.  Have a great day.

Behind Enemy Lines

If you're reading this story today and wondering why I'm not offering something related to Thanksgiving, I assure you I haven't forgotten today is Thanksgiving.  Today's message couldn't be superseded by anything else in my humble opinion.  After all, most of us in this country will have more than enough to eat today and there will be an abundance of football on TV to occupy our time.  I'm sharing this story from behind enemy lines, the enemy who wants to distract us from the real meaning of our existence on this planet.

If you're spending your day today watching football, I'm not knocking you.  You work hard and now you want to enjoy a day off with your family.  I do want to use sports as a way of exposing the enemy.  You have your favorite team, right?  You cheer for this team all season with the hope of seeing this team go all the way to the Super Bowl, the World Series, or whatever championship event you have in your sport.  You have all the apparel showing others what team you support.  All the other teams in your eyes are inferior. You may even despise those who support your team's nemesis.

Imagine you play for God's team and you are Jewish.  The whole world hates you.  Six million of your ancestors were annihilated because of your team.  You didn't get to choose your jersey, it was chosen by your enemy to let the world know what team you represent.  This is all the work of the enemy who wants you off the planet.  Why?  Because you represent God's team and God's Quarterback is about to come back into the game when the clock is set to expire and you're losing, just as you have for about 4,000 years when the whole world persecuted you.

I have seen this enemy up close and personal.  This enemy somehow invaded my very soul at a young age when I felt about as hopeless as those who belong to God's team.  They had the best quarterback of all times and they didn't even recognize him.  Why?  Maybe they felt threatened.  Maybe God himself made a decision to blind his own team to this quarterback so that room could be made for "the others."  Who are "the others?"  You and me, the Gentiles as we are called by our Jewish brothers.  

The enemy has access to God's playbook.  The enemy knows who wins and chooses to stay in the game even though victory is impossible.  We are in the fight of our lives.  My hope for you today on this Thanksgiving Day is that you can see through the enemy lines and recognize that our Father is getting ready to send his Son back to this world and save us from the Evil One.  Think about that while you're cheering for your team today.  Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Magical Forest Going Dark

One of my friends from my day job spotted me yesterday at the post office in my hometown.  "I didn't know you live here," he said.

"I rarely get outside these days," I told him.  "I'm in my basement on my days off writing books."  He looked surprised.  He may have been more surprised had I told him about my magical forest, a nickname I use for my downstairs basement where I compose my stories.  The name "magical forest" comes from one of my bosses who laughingly told others, "I live in a magical forest surrounded by magical creatures."  If you could see my basement you would likely agree with my boss.  

As much as I love my magical forest, it's time to shut it down to make room for Christmas.  There's not enough room in my basement for our Christmas tree and my "magical stuff" so I'm going dark.  The writing will continue but I'm going old school.  When Christmas is over and we're in the New Year, I'm lighting up the magical forest with fresh stories and entertaining videos.  The two book projects are not quite ready for prime time yet.  I'm in a tug-of-war with some dark forces that long to shut me down permanently.  Well, that's not going to happen.  These same forces are trying to stop the Second Coming of Jesus.  That's not going to happen either.  Everything is according to God's will and God's timing.  I will keep writing and editing until I have something worth sharing with the world.  My hope is that these books will be magical. Have a great day.

Beware of Your Spiritual Blindspot

 The view in front of you may be easy to see.  You may have even have great peripheral vision as well.  Beware of one area that may be suspect.  That is your spiritual blindspot.  Just like when you're driving, there is this area you cannot see.  There isn't much you can do about it.  It's part of being human.  What's important is to understand is that you and everyone around you has trouble with spiritual blindspots.  These blindspots may hinder your performance in the pursuit of God's plans for your life.

One of the best examples I know of someone who got cured of these spiritual blindspots comes right out of the Bible.  The man happened to be blind.  Jesus healed him.  He could see everything.  He had to ability to see Jesus when most everyone else could only see a carpenter's son.  

Be cautious when interacting with others who are suffering from spiritual blindness, especially those who are completely blind spiritually speaking.  They may try to dissuade you because they can't see the truth.  I do know that in my personal life most of my mistakes are because of my own blindness.  I'm hopeful the one I follow will help me to see more clearly just like that blind man in the Bible.  Have a great day.

Catching My Breath Today

I'm in solitary confinement for most of today and tomorrow.  This is exactly what I need to work on my book projects.  I'm downstairs in my basement sorting out some new material I'm adding to "Live Long and Prosper."  Although I sometimes feel like I'm moving at a snail's pace, I'm moving.  Have a great day.

Happy Sunday

 I'm wishing you a happy Sunday today.  There is much to report.  I will have to share more when the dust settles.  All I can say today is I'm sending you good thoughts.  I'm headed to church to thank God for the miraculous healing he gave my boss, a young man with young daughters who was diagnosed with multiple tumors about two months ago.  He is now on the mend.  There is a long journey ahead for this brave leader.  We are happy he is back with us.  Have a great day.

How are You Celebrating Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is almost here.  My wife turned it up a notch when she transformed our home into a place that would make the pilgrims proud.  A beautiful handmade sign over our fireplace sums it all up with the words: Grateful.  This year I happen to be more thankful than ever for all the blessings in my life.  At the top of the list is health.  We have lost some precious souls during this world-wide pandemic.  Fear crept in to the world and disconnected us from our dreams.  Even though we've faced unprecedented challenges in our lives, we have much to be thankful for.  My hope for you is that you find something worth celebrating and you go all out.  If you can't be with friends and family, call them.  Tell them how much you love them.  Pray for them.  Have a great day.

Be Careful What You Ask For

I'm still shaking my head.  What seemed like some kind of random event many years ago now appears to be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  If you've heard me share this story before, please be patient while I bring newcomers up to speed.  I'm sharing something few people in the world talk about because they may be afraid of what others think.  The only opinion that truly matters is what God thinks.

A stranger from I don't know where walked into our house of worship to talk about the Bible.  Most of us have one in our homes.  Mine was there to collect dust.  I rarely opened it.  This visitor told stories about how God uses the characters in the Bible to help us understand who we are, like looking into a mirror and seeing ourselves as God speaks to us.  "Look into the mirror when you open your Bible and see yourself through these characters," the man instructed.

I went open, dusted off the dust and opened my Bible asking God to show me who I am through his eyes.  Boom!  It happened.  Not only did I see myself through God's eyes, I saw my past and my future.  What scared the Hell out of me was seeing what is probably the lowest of people in the entire Bible.  This pathetic animal of a man was without clothes and without a life worth living.  He roamed the caves in the outskirts of town.  The villagers feared the man because he was possessed by demons.  Not one or two, but enough demons to cause even the strongest among us to go crazy.  The demons tricked the man into believing he would be forever cursed.  Why?  Because the Son of the Most High God didn't think he was worthy of being a human.  It was a sorry, sorry life.  

One day, a bunch of fisherman came to shore.  They were the chosen ones, the ones who God favored.  The leader, Jesus Christ, got out of the boat and headed straight to this possessed man.  The demons spewed their devil talk.  Jesus commanded the demons to leave the man and go to Hell.  These demons asked to go into the pigs instead and Jesus agreed.  The pigs went crazy and jumped over the cliff and drown in the lake.  The villagers who saw it all ran back to their village to share what happened.  When they came back, there was Jesus with the man and he was dressed in a white garment.  Life was very good for the man who was once possessed until the villagers told Jesus that he needed to depart because they were afraid, especially because their source of income, the pigs, was now wiped out.  The man asked Jesus to take him.  Jesus said no.  Jesus did promise the man he would be back someday and Jesus kept his promise.  The whole town was there because the man "published" all the good that Jesus did in his life while he patiently waited for Jesus to come back.

This story is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  This man who was possessed actually mirrored my life.  My part of the story is not yet finished.  I must keep publishing these stories until the final climax.  Be careful what you ask for.  God answers all prayers according to his perfect will.  Have a great day.

What's on Your Reading List?

The New Year is fast approaching.  This is a great time of year to reflect on the past year as it comes to a conclusion.  If you feel like maybe you've fallen short, I have an idea for you.  Review all the books you read and evaluate how these books contributed to your sense of well being.  There is a strong relationship regarding what you're feeding your brain and your output.  Garbage in means garbage out.  Feed your brain good books and you will see improved results.

I have some ideas for you for books to read next year.  Check out my cousin's book, "The Three Miracles."  He shares from his heart and his perspective, along with his music he composes, will inspire you.  There is a good chance you already own a copy of the greatest best seller of all times.  If you're like me, reading it cover to cover may be especially challenging.  Well, I found a way to get through the material.  I'm committing to a guided walk-thru of the Bible using daily YouTube videos published by my mom's favorite spiritual guru.  The series, led by Fr. Mike Schmitz, offers you an opportunity to do something very few do, complete the Bible in one year.  I'm sharing a link for you to check out.  Don't thank me, thank my mother.  She prays for her children daily and I just happen to be a recipient of one the greatest prayer warriors to walk the planet. Here you go:  Bible in a Year.  Have a great day. 

My Head is Spinning

 Maybe it was the air turbulence we experienced on our flight home.  It could have been all the time we had with our massive extended family in Arizona.  Maybe it was the temperature variations between Iowa and Arizona.  I can't exactly pinpoint why my head is spinning nearly out of control.  What I do know is that I would rather have a spinning head than a stagnant life.  All I need to do now is decipher all my experiences and attempt to make sense of it all.

I would like to thank all the friends and family members who connected with me during my recent trip to Arizona.  This trip will be remembered until the end of time.  I will share more at the appropriate time.  I'm headed to my day job to help my teammates.  This is a busy time of the year for us and it won't slow down until after the Holidays.  The same is true with my personal life.  I'm excited to complete all my projects.  It's full speed ahead, just like all those commuters in Arizona who bring me way out of my comfort zone on their speedways.  It's just like riding in a roller coaster.  I'm glad that part of my trip is in the rear view mirror.  Back to work I go.  Have a great day.

Wheels Up

 I'm ready for takeoff.  Wheels up in a few minutes.  This has been one of my best mini vacations ever.  I'm thankful for this amazing family I'm a part of.  Thanks to all who spent time with me.  Have a great day!

Aggiornamento!

 Aggiornamento means "bringing up to date."  Today is my final full day in the valley of the sun where I grew up.  I feel all filled up.  This amazing extended family around me has welcomed me back with open arms. There are so many new family members, including a new first cousin in law.  I don't know if that's a real term but I'm claiming Jill as my newest cousin and her four kids as as members of our clan.

Today's story wouldn't be complete if I withheld the spiritual awaking that happened in Arizona.  Full disclosure for those reading my stories for the first time: I do my best to keep politics and specific religious denominations off of this blog to keep the heckling to a minimum.  There is already enough division in this world.  All are welcome here.  I simply share the journey with anyone who wants to stop by.

In my faith there is a secret room many have never seen.  The first time I visited as an adult I thought I was in the wrong place.  Some remodeling had been done and the dividing wall was gone.  My pastor invited me to have a seat in front of him as if you were having coffee with a friend.  Well, there's no coffee.  No appetizers either.  The topic of conversation is me and all my faults.

In case you haven't noticed, the world is a mess these days and I feel a bit like a fish out of water.  I decided I would seek out one of these top secret rooms and visit a local pastor to see about cleaning myself up before my cousin's wedding.  The Evil One did his best to stop me.  The three places I visited were either closed for Veteran's Day, under construction, or the pastor was too busy.  I met a cousin at the pre-party the night beford the wedding and shared my dismay.  Well, he hooked me up.  I got in my rental car and drove as fast as I could to visit the secret room.

You don't need to know what was shared.  Let's just say I learned some valuable lessons to aid me in my faith journey.  I'm going to meet my cousin today for an iced tea at Rubios and share a couple of private surprises.  It feels good to get some small wins in a world desperate for some "Aggiornamento."  Our church calendar may be concluding soon and these days may be considered ordinary.  All I can say is what happened during my visit to Arizona is extraordinary.  No one but the Father knows when we will witness the Grand Finale.  I do recommend more regular visits to the top secret room if you happen to be a part of my denomination.  And if you're not part of the family but want to know more, reach out to me any time.  Just keep in mind that you are loved unconditionally.  Have a great day.

Oh, What a Wedding

 What a blessing it was to see my first cousin and his bride exchange vows yesterday.  The bride's godson officiated.  The congregation was treated to glorious singing from the bride's children that reminded me of the Von Trapp family in the Sound of Music. I bet those voices were heard by their dad in Heaven who had a front row seat along with other members of both families who departed before us.

The best man and brother, Steve, welcomed Jill into the family with stories of David's life before falling in love.  Music imported from Mulligan's island south of the border was led by Mark Mulligan, a world famous musician who worked the crowd with music he composed.  Welcome to the family, Jill.  David's Irish eyes will be forever smiling.  Have a great day.

A Special Wedding Today

 It's not easy to do weddings when you have an over-sized family.  Even harder when both the bride and the groom have enough cousins to fill the entire wedding chapel.  Well, that's what's happening today.  Two amazing families are merging.  My wife and I are thankful to be witnesses.

There is so much to do today before we head to the wedding chapel.  This is a day I will never forget.  Congratulations to my cousin and his bride to be.  Thank you for including us.  Welcome to the family, Mrs. Mulligan.  Have a great day.

Family Day Today

 Today's family day is extra special.  In addition to seeing my mother and some siblings, I'm also about to meet the newest Mrs. Mulligan who is officially joining the extended family tomorrow.  It truly is a blessing to be a part of this family.

It looks like I got an opportunity to dodge one of Mother Nature's first snowflakes of the season.  It feels so good to be basking in the sun.  Temps are in the high 80's here in Arizona.  Time to visit family members.  Have a great day.

Wheels Up Today

 Another adventure begins today.  This time it's personal.  My wife and I are headed to Phoenix.  We are attending a wedding for one of my first cousins.  We will be soaking up some serious Vitamin D while visiting friends and family.  I'm moving fast today to get out of town.  Have a great day.

The Truth Will Set You Free

There is some earth shattering reading material in the Gospel of John.  His wisdom is not of this world.  Speaking of this world, there are many half-truths and lies everywhere you turn.  You may be asking, "Where is the truth?"  John tells us with a message... Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free – John 8:32.  Easy, right?  Not so fast.  I think I know why it's so hard to get to the truth.  It's because of the dark side.  The dark side is responsible for twisting the truth so far that we don't really know how to get free of our own captivity.

It took me decades to free myself from incarceration due to my lack of understanding of the truth.  I still have a long way to go but I'm making progress.  If you find yourself sick and tired from all the untruths floating around, give the Bible a try.  The good news, as John and his fellow writer buddies disclose in their messages, is that Jesus never lies.  Something else worth noting is that Jesus keeps all of his promises.  Read about his promises.  I know one thing for sure, the truth will set you free.  Have a great day.

Adventure Ahead

 It's happening again.  Another adventure is on the calendar.  This time I'm reuniting with friends and relatives I haven't seen in years.  Some of them I haven't seen in decades.  It's all happening later this week.  I'm thankful for the time off to do this.  I'm also thankful to spend quality time with my wife.  Moments like these are rare.  If I act appropriately, I may see more of these moments in the future.

If you happen to find yourself mired in the dullness of a day-to-day routine that never changes, treat yourself to an adventure.  Don't wait too long.  Failure to do this may result in a lifetime of regrets that cannot be undone.  Have a great day.

Headed Back to My Day Job Today

 I'm super excited to see my friends at my day job today.  The truth is I haven't been around much and I miss them.  They have been supportive of my efforts to help out in other states and now it's time to get back into my regular routine, albeit for only a brief three days until wheels up to see family in my place of birth.

I would like to thank all of you for keeping in touch with me during my adventures.  Yes, my plate is full but this is the way I like it.  I'm behind on all my projects and the only way to get things done without going crazy is to take everything day by day until I cross everything off the to do list.  Thanks for your continued patience.  Have a great day.

Where are You Storing Your Treasure?

 Take a good look around you.  Pay attention to all that you treasure.  Without judging, take a peek at what treasures your neighbors are accumulating while you are assessing everything you possess that is valuable to you.  Do you like what you see?

Think back to a couple of thousand years ago and imagine how you would live.  Would you be storing the same type of treasures?  If not, how would different would it be?  Keep in mind that the people who followed Jesus rarely kept anything of value.  The reason for this may surprise you.  It's not because they didn't like nice things.  It's because the one they followed advised them there was a better place to store their treasures.  This place cannot be seen by the human eye.  This is the place where your treasures are all maximized.  You really can't store your treasures in both places.  This is an either/or choice.

The way you decide to store your treasure has to do with your point of view.  If you are a non-believer, time itself is finite and you will probably focus all your attention on your earthly home.  You live, you accumulate things, you die.  End of story.  Or, if you happen to be a believer and you understand you will live forever, that place called Heaven is appealing.  The less you worry about storing things here and the more you care about your eternal life, the more attention you will pay to storing your treasure in Heaven.  If I can make a recommendation about this, I would say, "Make good choices."  Have a great day.

Home Again

 I'm home.  It's really more of a touch and go.  I'll share more about that later.  All I can say is the winds are blowing, the leaves are almost gone, and I'm on the move.  I just wanted to check in with you to say I'm alive and well.

My time in Avon, Indiana was enlightening.  The workload was almost overwhelming but that is to be expected when expansion is going high speed these days.  I'm thankful for all the new friends I made and for my time of learning.  As for the books, I'm still re-arranging and fine tuning all the material.  I'm also adding fresh material to make sure I'm sharing the most recent discoveries.  Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers during this time as my plate is full and I need to make sure I keep some semblance of balance in my life in order to keep my mind right.  Have a great day.

Time to Return Home

 Another adventure is in the books.  I'm coming home.  Today makes ten days on the road.  I'm looking forward to a family weekend.  It's time to get m moving.  Have a great day.

It's Almost Time to Return Home

 Today is my last full day in Indiana.  Surprisingly, my voice is still intact although there are signs I'm on the verge of losing it if I'm not mindful of how I'm using it today.  

I would like to thank my wife for managing the household without any assistance from me.  I look forward to giving her a big hug when I return home tomorrow night.  Have a great day.

Make Good Choices

 It's been a while since I spent time in Duluth, Minnesota on a day job assignment.  One message still resonates in my head like a giant gong.  Megan, a young lady in charge of auditing all the paperwork, always took the time to look up at me and say, "Make good choices."

I almost blew it the other night on Halloween.  Most of the restaurants were closed and my stomach was mad at me for sticking to my intermittent fast throughout the day.  My teammate, Terry, also from Iowa who is with me for the duration of our work assignment led the way into a smoke-filled pub and we sat down.  Terry looked at me with a frown and suggested that maybe we made a poor choice to eat.  Megan's voice spooked me inside my head and we darted out of the building before our server could deliver our menus.

I told Terry I agreed that we made a bad choice to eat there.  The last thing I wanted was the stench of cigarette smoke on my clothes.  It's really scary how one bad choice often leads to a domino effect.  We found a wholesome restaurant nearby with a great atmosphere and a caveman approved healthy menu.  I also slept great because I managed to escape the smell of cigarettes on my clothes.

I would like to thank all the people in my life who inspire me to make good choices.  Have a great day.

Find Your Purpose

 Today's story is inspired by Sandra, one of the sweetest, kindest souls I've ever encountered.  For those of you who knew my mother's mother, this woman is like her sister.  In fact, visiting with her while on a break felt like visiting my grandma Mary.  

I must admit that I'm usually the oldest person around when I'm sent on new opening assignments.  Out of respect for Sandra, I won't reveal her age here.  Let's just say see has me beat.  You wouldn't believe it if you knew how many years she's been around because her youthful appearance and glowing skin hide her true age.

Sandra asked me some rather direct questions about my life.  This was not meant to pry but to get to know me.  She sought me out on her day off to dig deeper.  I hope Sandra reads this because she is my hero.  She lives her life the way I want to live mine.  It's old school.  It's a life of purpose.

Do you really want a life filled with purpose? Seek people like Sandra.  Listen to them.  Watch how they treat others.  Thank you, Sandra for welcoming me to Indiana.  My time here is coming to a conclusion but I promise I will never forget you.  Have a great day.

Day 6 on the Road

 My voice is still working and my legs are still strong.  I logged nearly 18,000 steps yesterday on the final day of opening weekend.  My teammates who were mostly sitting felt bad for me.  I felt bad for them.  They also regretted that I spent time outdoors to serve members when the lines got so long.  They didn't hear me telling the people we serve that we're offering free vitamin D as part of the experience.

We all make choices every moment of every day.  My choices are centered around serving others.  If I can do things throughout the day that move me towards improved health, then I feel like each day is a success.  It's time to get busy at my day job assignment.  Have a great day.

Day 5 on the Road

 My meditation efforts are on full throttle while I'm on the road to help open a new location at my day job.  This is especially important when navigating in the unknown.   I'm doing my best to pay attention to my body and understand the limits of my capacity to serve others.  I'm especially cautious of my voice which usually disappears about this time.   So far so good. 

There is a certain theme emerging in my daily meditations that aids me in my waking hours.   There is a greater sense of gratitude.   The longer I live the more I appreciate all the blessings in my life.   I'm thankful for my family,  my friends,  my teammates,  and all the new people I'm working with when I do these assignments in new cities.  Today is the halfway point in Indiana.  There is much work to do before the drive home.  Meanwhile,  I'm relying on my morning meditations to get me through all the challenges on this ten day stretch.   Have a great day. 

A Memorable Day in the Midwest

 

The day yesterday couldn't have been any better.  It started with a morning walk outside my hotel room in Avon, Indiana, where I'm on a day job assignment.  The clouds rolled in ten minutes after I captured the photo you see here.  The rain didn't deter eager folks wanting to visit and see what all the buzz is about.  One of our bosses from the home office said it best when she said, "The Midwest is en fuego."

I'm thankful to be a part of the support help.  Their hard work over these last months set the table for a grand opening that may be one of the best in our company history.  Yesterday was a day I will never forgot.  Now it's time to get ready for the next wave of people who will be pouring in over the weekend.   Have a great day.

Grand Opening Today at My Day Job

 Today is the day we have all been waiting for at my day job.  This is our 101st opening in the Midwest region.  Since I'm not an authorized speaker, I need to keep my sharing to a minimum.  What I can say is that I'm super thankful to work for a company that cares so much about the people we serve.  Helping out at these openings is my way of paying it forward for all this company has done for me.  Congratulations to all my teammates for working so hard to make all this possible.  Have a great day.

Big Day Tomorrow

Our grand opening at our newest location is tomorrow in Avon, Indiana.  I'm here on assignment as support staff.   The staff around me has been here for months getting ready for the big day.  I'm so thankful to be living in the Midwest and working for a company that cares about me and my family.  My hope is to share my experiences working at my day job for nearly ten years with all the new hires so they can get a sense of what's possible when you work hard as a team.  Have a great day.

Avon Calling

 Day job expansion in the Midwest is on full throttle.  Two more locations are opening this week in Minnesota and Indiana.  I'm headed to Avon, Indiana today to assist the new staff.  I will already be on the road when this story posts.  I have a colleague to keep me company on the road trip.  This is an exciting time of the year because the Fall colors are now at their peak.  My hope is to capture some of Mother's Nature's best highlights while driving along the scenic highways.

Please forgive any typos you may see these next couple of weeks.  My days will be at the highest intensity levels and I'm without my beloved MacBook Pro.  All stories will be composed on my cell phone.  I wish my teammates in Duluth and Avon much success.  May you find the same joy I've found from serving others and may you find fulfillment in your new career.  Have a great day.

How I Found Equilibrium

Even a stranger can notice when you're outside a state of equilibrium.  It's one of those things you can't fake.  One important lesson I'm learning about equilibrium is that the further you are away from it, the harder it is to see for yourself.  You don't have to be a monk or live in a cave to find this state but you do have to me mindful about how you're living your life to obtain it.

Imagine you're holding on to a rock.  This rock represents what you want in life.  It may be a relationship, a certain job, or financial status.  Along comes all the forces of nature to take your rock away from you.  There may even be people in your life who want to steal your rock.  You do everything in your power to hold on.  Your grip on this rock makes you miserable because you forget about everything else while you focus on holding on.  I'm sorry to say this but the reality is that the more you hold on, the stronger the opposing forces become.  You may never find equilibrium.  To do this, you must do the opposite of what you're currently doing.  Yes, the opposite.  You must let go.  Say good-bye to the rock.  Return to simplicity.  

Your own ego is perhaps the heaviest rock you can ever grasp.  You must walk away from your own ego if you really want to get serious about equilibrium.  Your ego wants to tell you how much the world owes you.  The world doesn't owe you anything.  Here's something else to consider in your pursuit of equilibrium.  You must become blind to what the rest of the world is doing.  Stop judging everyone else.  Seek quiet places to contemplate what your life can look like is you decide to keep it simple.

Now that my scales are finally balanced, I'm working on one more idea.  The idea is to notice when the world creeps up with it's own ideas to steal my balance.  I'm learning to say no to anything that may upset my newfound equilibrium.  I'm learning not to be so obsessed with deadlines that it causes my scales to tip in the wrong direction.    Have a great day.