Time with Nature

 

We woke up in the great state of Montana this morning.  Our family is celebrating our youngest son's graduation tomorrow.  The locals tell me this is the best week of weather they've seen in a while.  My wife and I took a nature walk in a park nearby where she captured this picture.  The birds were singing.  The sun was peeking through a thin layer of clouds.  The only people around us were photographers scouting out the water fowl who inhabit God's country. It's a glorious morning.  

For those of you considering vacation travel, I must say that I felt very safe flying.  In my opinion, the safest place to be is outdoors, especially when there are only a few people in your proximity.  I will share more at the end of our mini vacation.  Have a great day.

Traveling in a Pandemic

 I'm at gate 3 at my favorite airline this morning.  We're celebrating a graduation out of state.  I'm impressed with all the safety protocols set up to minimize the spread of COVID-19. They are calling our number any minute.  I'll be sharing travel updates during our family adventure.  Have a great day.

Interview with Front Cover Artist Coming Soon

 I'm coordinating a meeting time for my interview with John, the artist who created my next front cover for "The Adventures of Castaway Wilson."  He's excited to share about his work, mainly with oil pastels.  Stay tuned.  By the way, his latest piece, CASTAWAY WILSON, will be sold to the highest bidder with all proceeds going to the local children's hospital in my hometown.  I'm thankful for all the support I'm getting from friends who encourage me to keep moving forward.  Have a great day.

How Long Can You Remain in Your Positive Zone?

 You know exactly how it feels when you're in your positive zone.  Nothing bothers you.  You also know how it feels when you drop out of it.  It's a trigger.  It may be a situation or a person.  Whatever it is, it bursts your bubble of joy.  Your daily goal is to remain in the positive zone until you go to bed at the end of the day.  This is not easy.  It takes practice.  It also means that you are going to commit to this 100%.  Don't get out of bed until you find yourself in the positive zone.  Then, resolve to be keenly aware of all the triggers that can potentially knock you out of your inner place of peace.

I know the patterns.  They are reoccurring.  My goal is to navigate around them.  Should I fall short, the fallback is to immediately let go of whatever caused my bubble to burst.  The longer I'm out of the positive zone, the greater risk I am for staying knocked down.  This is a daily challenge.  Once you can make it through an entire day without any slips, go for two days.  Keep going.  Your life will change for the better.  Have a great day.

The Back Nine in the Writing Zone

I'm still shaking my head.  Finally.  I'm in the writing zone.  It's a creative sweet spot.  Every morning when I wake up I thank God for all the blessings in my life.  The people.  The inanimate objects that serve as surrogates when I need to bounce ideas that would probably put my friends to sleep. And the creative flow of ideas that are coming to be at light speed.   I have eight months to go to complete my two writing projects.  Those obstacles that have been haunting me these last couple of years are fading away.  My energy is surging.  It's really fun to be on the back nine.  I'm making up for all those bogeys I experienced leading up to this point.  Thank you for not giving up on me.  Thank you for your patience.  I will be posting some exciting updates soon.  Have a great day.

Front Cover Art is Complete

John Egley, an artist from my hometown, exceeded all my expectations when he unveiled the art for "The Adventures of Castaway Wilson."   It's done.  I love, love, love it.  My family loves it.  I have the digital file.  My next step in the book writing process is to deliver the digital file to the people who helped me with "The Caveman in the Mirror."  They will be tasked with font selection and overlaying the title on John's masterpiece.  The book is scheduled for release at the end of this year.

John agreed to do an interview with me about his life as an artist.  I'm so thankful for his creativity.  University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital will be receiving 100% of the proceeds from the silent auction we are setting up for the original art piece John is donating.  Stay tuned for more about the auction and the interview with John.  Have a great day.

The Back Nine on the Links – Update

Financial Freedom has a price.  My wife and I decided to pay that price when she checked out a library book written by a guru who happens to be my age.  We have a lot in common.  Both of us flubbed in our early years.  Having a last name Mulligan, perhaps others expect me to need plenty of do overs.  I came up with this game to aid me on my quest to pay off all our debt including a mortgage.  We are on the back nine on the links, a virtual golf course where every hole represents one month of efforts to get out of debt. Sure, there where many sand traps I happened to land in early in the game.  I also found the water hazard multiple times.  My slices and dices even took me into several swamps.  Something happened in the third year of the game, I started hitting par for the course.  Miraculously, there were even a few eagles.  The back nine where I am now are like rounding third in baseball.  I see home plate.  I feel like sprinting which is odd because I'm 60 and most people my age are starting to get fat, sick and nearly dead.  Sadly, I've lost many from my high school class of '78.  I'm happy to be in the game.  I'm happy to be surrounded by people who care about my wellbeing.  I may stumble while pursuing a lifelong goal of financial freedom but I will do everything in my power to get through the back nine.  Have a great day.

Front Cover is 60% Complete

 Castaway Wilson is about to get his front cover.  I spoke with the artist yesterday and he thinks he can complete the design by the weekend.  He's donating his time and talent for our fundraiser benefitting the local children's hospital.  He's going to pick out a frame so the winning bidder will get something really special.  I'm so grateful to be surrounded by caring people who have amazing talent.   The last time I published the front cover was a major challenge and it held up the release.  This time the front cover will be done ahead of time so I can focus all my time and energy on the story.  Life is good.  The silent auction begins in about a week.  I'll share more details soon.  Have a great day.

Making Morning Studio Time a New Habit

 I'm getting adjusted to my new basement studio.  When the headphones are on the world around me fades away.  It's a great feeling to be so deep in my work.  I'm waking up without the aid of an alarm and jumping into my projects after I get my daily dose of morning meditation.  My body is resisting but my mind is in charge and I'm going full blast until these projects are complete.  Have a great day.

Two Days in a Row When Time Altered

The first day it happened my wife cautioned me.  Now that my body is getting used to intermittent fasting, I often forget to eat a meal.  I don't get hungry or thirsty.  The result is I can go long periods of time immersed in my activities, such as writing.  My wife told me to pay attention to the time so I don't hurt my body by missing food.  Well, it happened again yesterday.  I was aware of the time but the clock seemed to be moving at an accelerated rate.  It's an interesting experience.  If I can keep this up, I should be able to stay on top of my to do list.  This year can possibly turn out to be one of the most productive years ever.

I'm wishing you a great day wherever you may be today.  If you're having fun with a new grandkid in your life, I'm sending you some aloha from my hometown.  Have a great day.

The River of Creativity is Flowing

 Something really strange happened yesterday.  I parked myself in my basement and got busy on my writing projects after consuming my "world famous" caveman smoothie.  Maybe it was my super comfortable office chair that contributed.  It may have been my insatiable desire to learn how to use my new tools.  Whatever it was, time stopped.  I heard a noise upstairs.  It was my wife returning from work.  That was the first time I came out of the trance just in time to go to our weekly yoga session.  That means I lost track of about seven hours.  I had no idea what time it was.  No food.  No water.  Just my inanimate friends to keep me company.  I'm feeling good about this newfound creativity.  It's a river that is flowing with stage IV rapids.  Any higher and the river would be impossible to navigate.  Today I'm going to remember to get a few sips of water every now and then.  All is well in the basement.  Have a great day.

Basement Studio Gets an Upgrade

Welcome to my basement.  By day it's my blogging/vlogging/writing/editing headquarters.  In the evening it transforms into Chateau Mulligan, an intimate eatery for the Mrs. and me.  I'm super happy with the green screen and my new La-Z-Boy chair I added this week.  My inanimate friends are speechless.  

There are several time targets on my calendar that serve as reminders of my priorities.  By sharing these with you it holds me accountable to you.  Here's what's ahead...

• May 1, Original art work for my front cover of "The Adventures of Castaway Wilson" will be on display at my day job and online for bids.  The artist gets a fee from me for the cover and then the original art will be sold at auction with 100% of the proceeds going to Children's Miracle Network.  
• May 31, Winning bidder will be announced.
• Dec 31, Deadline for completing my next two books.
• Jan 1, 2022, The search for Lucy begins.  The adoption won't be finalized until both books are released.
• 12/31/22, Time target for completion of our second home on wheels.  

I would like to thank those of you who suffered through my first couple of YouTube videos.  The learning curve can be painful, especially for loved ones who eagerly await improvements of my not-ready-for-prime-time videos.  I have a long way to go.  There are time targets to shoot for.  I'll post videos every now and then to share my progress.  Have a great day.

League Match Today

 It's a vacation day today.  I'm enjoying family time and an opportunity to play a league match with a fellow leftie.  The men who play in the Men's 55+ age group have years of experience playing tennis and they can be the savviest of opponents.  I'm fortunate to have a partner who is a communications professor. Doubles is all about getting on the same page.  Win or lose, this is going to be a great day.  Have a great day.

Every Minute Counts

You might be surprised by the amount of time you may waste in a day.  If you don't think this is true, contemplate how many times you've told others, "I don't have enough time to get things done."  Think about all those projects on your wish list that may never get done because you falsely believe there aren't enough minutes in a day.

1,440.  That's how many minutes you have every day.  If you think you're smart because you cheat on your hours of sleep, be aware that cheating sleep has dangerous consequences.  Your brain won't work at optimal levels if you're not investing enough minutes to repair your body and mind every night.  If you're like me, eight hours is just about right.  That means you need to subtract 480 minutes from the 1,440 you are allotted daily.  You're down to 960 minutes.  I find that when I use my first minutes to do my most important tasks, these things have a higher chance of actually getting done.  Keep a log of your daily activities.  Count every minute because every minute counts.  Be aware of all the senseless activities you're doing that detract from your goals.  Have a great day.

To the Ends of the Earth

It was a rather interesting day at my day job yesterday.  In fact, it was a day I will never forget.  My artist buddy offered me a first draft of my Wilson cover.  He hit it out of the park.  A charismatic couple walked in to sign up at my day job.  I asked my usual questions to find out about them.  The husband shared he was in the army.  "What was your job?"  I asked.

"Chaplain,"  he replied.  "And now I'm a minister."

I decided to share the artwork with the couple because of the spiritual aspects of my book.  The wife surprised me when she told me she is also a minister.  That was only the beginning.  

"Can we pray over this artwork?"  She asked.  My hair began raising.  It was as if some kind of electricity was going through my body.  The prayer was bold.  The wife closed the prayer by asking God to bring this project all the way to the ends of the earth.  Wow!  That's about as charismatic as a day can get.  It was the best kind of feedback I can get about the artwork.  All I can say is this project takes my breath away.  It consumes me.  I'm captivated by what's ahead.  Have a great day.

Full Speed Ahead

 The magical forest got an upgrade yesterday.  I found a couple of smoking deals on Amazon.  There is a new external microphone for my MacBook Pro and a light to eliminate the shadows when I create vlog videos.  My artist reports speedy progress on the front covers.  I'm hoping to see the first draft within a week.  

I've been writing about what it's like to venture into the unknown.  The best way I can describe it is that it's like waking up in the jungle and you have no idea what's around you.  My heartbeat accelerates.  My senses awaken.  Adrenaline is pumping through my body.  There is a temptation to turn around but I know what's behind me.  There's nothing new there.  It's better to go full speed ahead.  That's where I am today.  This is how it's going to be for the rest of the year.  Have a great day.  

Inanimate Characters Participate in My First Zoom Conference Call

Mastering new technology doesn't have to be painful.  I did something yesterday that will help me in my quest to reach more people and the only investment is the time it takes to discover how the new software works.  Take a look at this conference call I hosted with Umbro and Mini Wilson on YouTube.  I was able to put my original MacBook Pro to use as a second work station in my downstairs basement.  My wife appreciates the virtual backgrounds which add an element of privacy to our home.  The next step will be to interview live people.  Have a great day.  If the video does not appear below, click here for the link.

How to Become the Best Version of Yourself

 I'm the first one to admit I don't have all the answers when it comes to becoming the best version of yourself.  I'm sixty years old and I'm still working on it.  What I can offer today is what mistakes you can avoid when you're attempting to improve your life.  The older I get the more I realize how staying in the game makes a huge impact on who you become.  Something else that helps is having a willingness to grow.  Stay in the moment.  Be open to trying new things that can help you learn.

If you find yourself waking up every day and you're simply repeating everything you did the day before, you won't ever become the best version of yourself that you can be.  You need trials.  You need experiments.  As much as I hate to say this, you need failures.  If you can be willing to try a new approach without fear of failure, you will discover a new you.  Stay at it.  Discard anything that's keeping you frozen in your past.  Have a great day.

It's Magical

Walt Disney started with a mouse.  Other characters joined the party.  His kingdom is magical.  We also have a mouse in our house.  Hans is not famous like Mickey.  He's simply an inanimate character who entertains me while I dream about how to publish all the stories swirling around inside my head.  I'm happy to report that the magical forest I referenced in my first "5 Minutes with Mulligan" YouTube video I published last week is coming to life.  It amazes me how a lingering writer's block issue can be removed in an instant when another creative type comes along and offers a fresh perspective.  

Imagine you've been staring at a problem for what seems like an eternity and you can't see a solution.  For me, the challenge is to find a way to publish Wilson's copyrighted image when the big boys who own the rights to Wilson don't want to budge.  My artist friend listened to my problem.  He flipped the image around 180º and came up with a rough draft showing the backside of Wilson.  Now we're talking.  It's magical.  There is absolutely no way the big boys can come after me as long as I never show Wilson's good side in any of my pictures.  Walt Disney's success came from the people around him.  He never drew Mickey.  He let another artist do the magic.  Never underestimate the value of the magic you can obtain from the people around you.  I'm forever thankful.  Have a great day.

Tell Your Friends About This One

Wilson doesn't belong to me.  He's an orphan seeking his rightful owner.  I'm only here to assist.  I'm a temporary custodian.  It's been a year since I last say Wilson in person.  I'm reaching out to Erin this week to ask her an important question.  She doesn't know what I'm going to ask but it is personal.  I plan to ask her on a recorded Zoom call that will be posted on YouTube.  This will be my second "5 Minutes with Mulligan" conversation.  There are more planned.  This is where I need your help.  In order to maximize fundraising for the sick kids at the local hospital, I need people who are interested in participating in a silent auction.  The item I'm referring to hasn't been created yet.  It will be ready sometime next month which happens to be when we are raising money at my day job.  Up for bid is the original art work for my front cover of Wilson's story.  Highest bidder will own this precious treasure created by an amazing local artist.  Tell your friends about this one.  Come back for progress reports.  Have a great day.

Front Covers Under Construction

Game on.   I'm no longer a beached whale.  Ironically, I found the solution to my writer's block when I least expected it.  In fact, I wasn't even doing anything.  I was at the part of my morning meditation where you are allowed to go to sleep for 15 minutes.  Sometimes I do.  Other times I feel like I'm half sleeping, half dreaming.  Yesterday I felt like I was on a beach looking out at the ocean.  Suddenly ocean waves were crashing in on me.  Each wave carried an out-of-this-world spark of energy.  I stood up while in the dream state and scurried to scoop up these thoughts like precious seashells.  Somehow, my brain got some type of an upload.  When I came out of my meditation something was different.  The writer's block had been removed.  It was like a patient waking up after an emergency appendectomy.  I was a blind mouse who got his sight restored.  The writer's block was a sand castle that got washed away as the tide rose.

I don't know how creativity works.  If I could bottle up what happened to me yesterday and sell it, I would be a rich hombre.  All I can say is that both writing projects are front and center.  Wilson was mostly on the back burner this last year because of my fear of being sued for showing his copyrighted image on the front cover.  All other avenues had been exhausted including a letter to the CEO of the company that owns the rights to my buddy.  When I came out of my meditation I told my wife something happened during my "galaxy surfing."  I saw things I needed to see.  The first thing I did was open up my Scrivener writing software and create a blank page where I could lay out all my new seashells.  One of them, an idea for the front cover that would be immune to any threat of lawsuit for copyright violations.  I went to my day job early hoping to meet the guy I saw in my dream armed with something I scrawled out on a sheet of paper. He was the first person I met after I got inside the building.  John's eyes lit up when I shared my ideas.  When it was time for lunch he shared a rough draft that made my heart skip a beat.  He invited me to his studio to get started on the other cover.  Both writing projects are moving forward at full speed.  I'm super excited.  By the way, I will be sharing my seashell collection in the next couple of weeks as I get my thoughts sorted out.  Have a great day.

Writer's Block Cured

 I found the root of my writer's block.  It wasn't what I expected.  I thought it was related to all the obstacles I'm facing, like the legal challenges related to not owning the rights to Wilson's image.  Wilson is the main character in "The Adventures of Wilson."  It's a story about all the people we meet on our journeys.  I kept thinking, "How can I publish this book if I'm under the threat of a lawsuit?"  There were many other potential show stoppers, like the pandemic that pretty much ended my opportunity to add more chapters.  None of these issues were the root cause.  They were only symptoms.  The real problem with my writer's block is fear.  Yes, fear.  As much as I try to paint of picture of not being afraid, this fear thing is stuck to me like a shadow that will never leave.  I broke free.  The solution was to step into the unknown and share my challenges for all the world to see.  It worked.  My creativity is overflowing.  It feels so good.

I'm waking up every morning without an alarm.  Ideas are coming to me during my morning meditation.  These ideas are way out there in that unknown place I referred to in my first "5 Minutes with Mulligan" YouTube video.  They are so far away from me that I can barely make them out with my flashlight.  They are beaconing me to go deeper into the unknown.  The funny thing about the darkness is that my shadow is no longer visible.  Sound scary?  It is.  I'm okay with this.  Why?  Because I see a way to complete my projects.  It's now 5:35 AM in my time zone.  It's time to jot down my thoughts for circumventing fear and crossing the finish line.  Thanks for staying with me.  Have a great day.

It's Getting Fun Now

 It's all coming together now.  I found what I needed to convert my USB-C port on my new MacBook Pro to something I'm more familiar with.  I'm also learning how to navigate the new software.  The new bells and whistles are exciting.  This unknown place I stepped into doesn't seem as scary now.  

I've heard some horror stories about people who have been gobbled up by the unknown.  This thing called fear can be really dangerous when you feel isolated and cut off from the world.  I'm comforted knowing that even though I'm dealing with the same darkness I have friends who support me.  There is some serious work to be done this year.  All I can say is it's getting fun now.  I have all the tools I need to finish my writing projects.  Whatever you're doing in life, make sure you find a way to make it fun.  Don't be intimidated by the unknown.  If you're stuck, get help.  Find the light switch.  Please don't give up on your dreams.  Have a great day.

Why I'm Surrounded by Magical Creatures

 Today I'm celebrating victory.  I finally got "5 Minutes with Mulligan" released on YouTube.  Like many of my daily activities, this new video series is an experiment.  It's my opportunity to learn new technology and share my life lessons with you.  If you get a chance to watch the video, you will see a reference to my magical forest and the magical creatures I'm surrounded by.  For those of you who are new to my blog or my videos, you may be wondering where all this magical stuff came from.  The answer is simple...I'm not allowed to share my family on social media so I can up with make-believe characters as stand-ins.  This keeps harmony in the family while giving me a tribe to help me with my messages.

I have a few rules I follow when it comes to family, friends, and magical creatures.  Family stories are published when permission is given or the family member is dead or nearly dead.  The same is true of friends.  I find that when people are dealing with death they no longer care about certain things that consume most of our waking hours.  That leaves the last group, my inanimate magical creatures who reside in my magical forest.  The most famous of these is Wilson.  He may not have a soul but he has a way of expressing himself in such a way that sometimes I think he's more real than some people I know.  Most often he's inflated.  There are sad times when he's deflated.  He's mostly pumped up.  He dribbles.  He's a great listener.  He saved Tom Hanks from loneliness in CASTAWAY.  Yes, Wilson is magical.  There were a few times when I almost lost him, like the time I set him on a ledge and the wind gusted.  He bounced all the way down the embankment and landed in some boulders a few feet from the Mississippi river in Evansville, Indiana.  Another time we were in Aruba and I placed him in the ocean for a picture.  Once again, the trade winds picked up and blew Wilson away so fast that I had to swim full speed to save him from being lost at sea.  I was so out of breath that I had to use Wilson as a floating device while I caught my breath.  Wilson has been in New York City with Erin, a friend who is dealing with stage IV cancer.  My hope is that Wilson brings Erin some comfort at this challenging time.  Well, that's my magical creature story for today.  Don't forget to check out "5 Minutes with Mulligan" on YouTube.  Have a great day.

Hello from the Unknown

 Hello.  I'm in the unknown today.  It's a bit like yesterday although that claustrophobic feeling I had is getting more tolerable.  It's like trying to understand the roadsigns but they're in Chinese.  Old dogs don't usually like new tricks.  When this old dog discovers his new MacBook Pro no longer has standard USP ports to plug into he gets confused.  The lights are off and I'm fumbling in the darkness.  This is where I want to be.  This is where the growth is.  The good news is I made my first video yesterday in a series called "5 Minutes with Mulligan."  It's raw, unedited, and rather invisible to the world today because the lights are still out.  

I remember having this feeling in high school.  I signed up for wood shop as a freshman because I thought it would be fun to build things.  It took a whole semester to kind of sort of build a box that my mom still has.  I really don't know what it is.  It doesn't even have hinges.  I didn't fail the class, probably because my wood shop teacher was also my tennis coach and I think he felt sorry about my lack of understanding in his class so he passed me...barely, maybe because I refused to give up.  That's where I am today.  I'm the guy who is going to figure out all this new technology so I can publish videos about my bloopers, blunders, and silly attempts to learn new tricks.  And if you made it this far in my story today, I'm offering you a sneak peak at what's ahead.  I'm going to convert a cargo van into a second home on wheels.  Here's the interesting part... I'm building boxes, lots of them.  That first experience in high school was rather lame but I'm going to build on that and if I ever figure out how to turn the light on in this unknown place where I happen to be today then I will consider the unknown to be a place of great learning.  This is where the opportunity is.  Forget going to the movies for entertainment.  Get yourself some popcorn and look for me on YouTube.  Here's a working title for the future..."Old dog who nearly failed high school wood shop attempts to build his own second home on wheels." Remember what one of my colleagues said about me yesterday?..."Michael tells stories while in a magical forest surrounded by magical creatures."  What he didn't tell you is that the lights are off and I can't see.  Today I will find the light switch.  It's all about progress.  Have a great day.

Editors Note:  Success!  "5 Minutes with Mulligan"  is now on YouTube.   Here is the link:

Link to "5 Minutes with Mulligan"

Stepping Into the Unknown – 5 Minutes with Mulligan

This may sound a bit crazy but I'm going for it.  It's another experiment.  I have absolutely no idea how this will turn out.   I'm calling this experiment, "5 minutes with Mulligan."  It's exactly what it says, five minutes.  I don't know how many of these I will make but I do promise to deliver five minutes of raw, unedited videos covering a range of topics.  Your feedback will allow me to move in various directions.  This place is where you will see my bloopers, blunders, and discoveries in real time.

One of my colleagues at my day job summed up his point of view about my life.  His exact words to a high level person in our company were, "Michael tells stories while in a magical forest surrounded by magical creatures."  Please enter at your own risk.  I have no expectations about this experiment.  Bookmark this blog story and come back for the link my magical forest.  Have a great day.

4/6/21 Editor's Note:  I'm updating you from the unknown.  If you're trying to find the video I made yesterday, it's not out yet.  I think it's kind of lame but it's the first step in a long journey towards video blogging.  Thank you for your patience.

The link is now live.  Here you go..5 Minutes with Mulligan

Happy Easter

 Nonbelievers ask, "How can you be certain that this Jesus you talk about is real?"  They want proof.  Is an empty tomb really proof of anything?  Even the believers doubted.  Those in power wanted Jesus to stay dead.  Guards stood over the tomb to prevent any conspiracy theories.  The one thing I know for sure is that no matter what humans do to try and stop God from carrying out his plan, nothing can stop God.  Not even death.  Jesus did it.  He conquered death.  The tomb is empty.  He is risen.  He is alive!

If you have any doubt that Jesus is real, imagine for a moment that your doubts are gone.  Imagine that Jesus is real.  Imagine he came back from the dead, just like he said.  Imagine that the death on the cross was just for you.  Yes, you.  Have a conversation with Jesus.  Invite him into your heart.  Ask him to show you how real he is.  Pay attention to the people around you.  I have a feeling that someone will come into your life to help you understand how real Jesus is.  The empty tomb is your first clue.  There are more.  Read the New Testament and search for the truth.  Thank you for visiting today.  Happy Easter.  Have a great day.

Safe Travels

The world is coming back to life again.  That's good news.  Many have been on the sidelines for a long time during this pandemic.  For those who are traveling to see loved ones, I wish you well.  Be safe.  Be well.  Tomorrow many will celebrate the Resurrection with their families.  I'm looking forward to spending time with loved ones.  Have a great day. 

It's Good Friday

 This is a big day.  Nonbelievers question why we call this Good Friday because this is the day Jesus was crucified.  Good?  Really?  Could this be some kind of early Christian April Fool's prank, assuming the original Good Friday happened on April 1?  Well, April Fools day is now behind us.  Yes, it really is GOOD Friday.  Without a crucifixion there can't be a resurrection.  Without a resurrection there is nothing to believe in after our own death.  Yep.  Jesus beat death.  That's good.  Really, really good.  Take a moment today and think about why Jesus did all this.  He did it for you, for me, and for all of humanity, including our children, our children's children, and every generation to come after us.  Have a good day today.  Thank you for visiting.

Prayers for Betty, Please

He was the high school quarterback.  She was the cheerleader.  These two lovebirds fell in love in high school.  I had the pleasure of meeting them on their 50th wedding anniversary when they stopped in at my day job.  I will never forget the gleam in Betty's eye when she looked at her husband while he told the story of their journey together.  I will never forget how they held hands.  Or when they shared a hotdog and a soda together while visiting.  Out of all the thousands of people I've encountered on this planet, this couple ranks number one in my heart.

Betty's husband stopped in yesterday and introduced me to his neighbor.  His demeanor changed when I asked about Betty.  The tears welled up in his eyes.  "She's in hospice," he said.  "It's the six month hospice."  

"Give her a hug from me," I said, offering the "COVID handshake" with an elbow bump.  "I'll be praying for her.  Today I ask you to take a moment and pray for the cheerleader and her husband, the quarterback.  May Betty be comforted as she finds the end zone of her amazing life.  Thank you both for sharing your beautiful life with me.  Have a great day.