Do You Have a Sugar Addiction?

 I listened to a podcast yesterday and the doctor who was being questioned talked about a subject that spiked my interest – addiction.  Here are some facts he stated:

1. Many people exposed to cocaine or heroin for five days in a row become addicted.
2. When people are exposed to alcohol for five days, 20% become addicted.
3. Sugar exposure for five consecutive days results in a 20% chance of addiction.
4. Nicotine exposure for five consecutive days results in a 50% addiction rate.

I don't know if the percentages are accurate.  What I do know is I'm someone who clearly has issues with sugar.  I broke my sugar addiction recently but it was nearly impossible.  It was actually a spiritual motivation that helped me break free from the bondages of sugar.  Coincidentally (or Godincidentally), I saw my primary care physician on day one of my sugar abandonment in his house of worship located close to the hospital where he runs his practice.  It was one of those important days on our church calendar that happens to be a required day for believers although not a weekend service.  My doctor had no clue what I was undertaking until I showed up for a long overdue physical and told him how I broke my perceived addiction to sugar.

If you are having sugar challenges, I understand how you feel.  Your choice to break the addiction won't be easy.  It may be nearly impossible.  Ask any addict who is in recovery and they may say the same thing.  If you can admit the problem, you are on the first step and I applaud you.  My prayers are with you.  Have a great day.

What are Your 3 Greatest Fears?

 Don't worry.  Your answer is  private.  You are the only person who will know the answer to today's question.  Be honest with yourself.  When you are done writing your answer, answer the follow-up question; what would your life be like if you could overcome these three fears?  Write this answer down.  I will share my number one fear with you at the end of the story.

There are two things that motivate you to take action, hope for gain and fear of loss.  The greatest of these is fear of loss.  It's possible that this fear of loss is related in some way to your three greatest fears.  Here's what I mean in a similar question:  What would your life be like if you died without conquering your top three fears?  Ouch.  That hurts, doesn't it?  This question is like getting stabbed in the back.  If that ignites a fire within that means I've done my job for today.

I don't want to leave you hanging today so I'm going to offer my two cents about top fears, like fear of dying.  This isn't on my list because I'm one of those people who believes we live forever and that dying is simply a necessary step to enter eternal life.  What about the fear of getting sick or losing your mind?  That's legitimate.  This isn't on my list because, in my opinion, most illnesses in our world today are preventable and I'm going out of my way to take action in order to prevent poor metabolic health.

When I wore a younger man's clothes I was one of those people who had a fear of failure.  It crippled me into inaction.  I changed my attitude towards this type of fear and the fear dissipated. I now see failure as a necessary step in the learning process.  The greater the frequency and quantity of my mistakes, the quicker I learn valuable lessons.

It's time to get personal and vulnerable with you.  My greatest fear is reaching judgment day,  looking into Jesus's eyes and seeing his disappointment with my assigned tasks on earth.  The only way I can overcome this is to take daily action and do the things I perceive to be on God's to do list.  Similar to the honey do list, I take great comfort in accomplishing my daily tasks.  There is nothing on this earth that I believe to be a stronger threat or fear than my own personal failure to accomplish God's to do list before I reach my body's expiration date.  Have a great day.

Is There a Demon Manifesto?

The blood test results are in.  My doctor readily agreed to ask for one, especially when I told him of my odd food proclivities.  I'm certain of one thing, there are few in this world who eat the way I eat.  My food choices are as about as un-American as it gets.  My doctor is bound by the rules of hipaa to disclose details of my full physical to others but I'm pretty much an open book to anyone who cares to turn the pages and delve into unknown territory that sometimes scares the Hell out of loved ones.

My exam lasted longer than a typical visit, perhaps because of the lapse between appointments.  I opened up my notebook and fired away some questions in order to appease my wife.  Dr. Benjamin Miller put my mind at ease when he told me the spot on my back, a seborrheic keratosis, is of no concern and happens to appear when we approach our sixties.  Number two on my wife-inspired checklist was the suspicious spot near my thyroid that showed up five years ago when I went through a body scan after my auto accident.  "The best way to check your thyroid is a TSH test; we can make that part of your blood test," Dr. Miller said.

Next on the list was sharing my stack, mostly natural molecules the human body produces on its own but curtails during the aging process.  My physician told me there is nothing in the stack that can hurt me although if my body isn't deficient in these substances I will merely be flushing them down the toilet.  He was curious why I was taking pills including TMG, Quercetin, Fisetin, Tumeric, NMN, Pure Resveratrol, and Sirt 6 activators so I revealed my pointers from the book, "Lifespan," by Harvard scientist, David A. Sinclair.

The next topic of conversation was about my food intake.  My most recent food modification happened when I discovered Dr. Jason Fung, author of the "Diabetes Code."  My eye doctor suggested I read the book during my last eye exam last December.  Since diabetes runs in my family, I decided to investigate.  The forward is written by science journalist, Nina Teicholz, author of "The Big Fat Surprise."  I told my doctor that Nina's stunning research reveals something rather horrifying about the people at the top of the food chain who make all the rules our doctors are bound by when it comes to standard of care.  Nina says, "the demonization of cholesterol has been probably one of the greatest mistakes in medical history."

If you've made it this far in today's rather long-winded story, I applaud you.  In my opinion, Nina's assessment of cholesterol was not a mistake but a direct attack on humanity through dark forces we cannot see who want to destroy us.  My opinion may only be one small voice from a once blind caveman who has wandered around the desert most of my life but I'm willing to share my journey here regardless of any future attacks from the demons.  My test results do show elevated cholesterol.  I warned my doctor that this is what he would see once the blood test results came back.  I also told him the more important number is triglycerides which came back lower than ever at 57.  All other lipid panel numbers came back in the normal range despite my uncanny food ways.  God willing, it looks like I'm going to be around a while, hopefully long enough to get to nationals in the men's 90+ doubles with my cousin, Dr. John Mulligan, the one responsible for intervening at a critical moment when I was about to succumb to a lifetime of permission slips so I could continue the standard American diet.  Those dark days are behind me.  I'm looking forward to helping my teammates out at sectionals in August and the doctor cleared me to participate in Ragbrai next month.  Have a great day.

Full Physical Today

The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  I will advise and watch over you." Psalm 32:8

It's been a long while since I've had a full physical, including blood work, with my primary care physician.  I have a notebook filled with questions for him.  In case you're wondering if I have health concerns, I don't.  In fact, it's the opposite.  I'm seeking a confirmation about the health pathway I'm on now which happens to be the road less traveled by those who live in this part of the world.

Sadly, I saw yet one more obituary for a high school classmate yesterday.  I wish I could go back in time and warn others about food choices that I believe to be the root cause of almost every disease this world is encountering leading to premature death.  In my opinion, people have been tricked into eating foods labeled as healthy when the opposite is actually the best path.  The simplest way to share this is by dividing everything you eat into two categories, man-made and God-made.  There are folks at the top of the food chain making serious bucks selling snake oil disguised as ideal food.  When did something artificial become the standard?  How many lives have been lost because of the standard American diet?

I have one hope for you today as you read this.  My hope is that if you are metabolically healthy, you stay that way for the rest of your life.  And if you're not metabolically healthy, you join the 12% of Americans who are by making healthier choices.  Come back tomorrow and I'll share my results with you.  Stay tuned.  Have a great day.

Time to Step Up the Training

Yikes!  Time seems to be moving at light speed.  Ragbrai is one month away.  The Midwest sectional tournament is in August.  Our tennis team is one of eight remaining in the quest for a national appearance in Surprise, Arizona in October.  That means my training is kicking into a higher gear.  

I'm thankful to my boss at my day job for a speedy approval of my time off request for August in order to support my team.  Coincidentally, there is now a day job location just one lob away from the Tennis Center where the regional tennis tournament is being held in St. Louis for the men's 18+ division this year.  We may have the feel of being the home team as I have friends in the area who will be cheering for us.  Time to sign off.  It's high gear mode from today through the end of the year.  Have a great day.

Men's 4.0 18+ Tennis Team Captures Crown

 

We're headed to St. Louis for the USTA sectionals.  Last night I witnessed my teammates do something really special, defeat one of the best 4.0 teams in the state of Iowa.  These opponents were good; really good.  It came down to our singles players, Matt and Dan.  We were up 2 matches to 1 when the doubles matches concluded on the indoor courts in Waterloo.  Severe weather in the area forced indoor play on limited courts shared by the ladies who were vying for their own district championship.

Every match was a nail biter.  Fred and Brian cruised to a solid first set win but the other team came back strong and won the second set.  The first super tie breaker of the day went to the other side setting up a show down in our two singles matches.  Matt faced an opponent who could hit rally like no other.  Most rallies were thirty strokes or longer.  Four hours after match play began, our number one singles player, Dan Jones, defeated his opponent in the final super breaker of the day, sealing a 3-2 win.  Meanwhile, Matt was still playing.  His opponent used mind games to influence the outcome, like doing pushups after a marathon first set while Matt lay on his back writhing in pain from the torture.  Good thing our team is stacked with doctors in case medical attention is needed.  In the end, his match was not necessary to capture the state title and send us to St. Louis for the next round, sectionals, in August.  

Congratulations to team captain, Jim Sichterman, and all my teammates for a big win and for capturing a second title in the same season.  Both teams, the 18+, and the 40+ are advancing.  We are excited to face off with the best teams in the Midwest.  The winner advances to Surprise, Arizona in October for the national championships.  It's time to get back on the courts and fine tune our games for what's ahead.  Have a great day.

The Food Lesson I Learned from My Lawn Mower

 What does your body have in common with my lawn mower?  In order to understand the answer, you need to understand what my lawn mower mechanic taught me and it's amazing.  Our oldest son gifted us a lawn mower that we absolutely love.  We learned that by using gas with ethanol added the carburetor deteriorates.  Bad news if you want to cut your grass and your lawn mower won't start.

In my opinion, if you give your body the wrong foods, certain body parts function improperly.  Don't make the same mistake I made with my lawn mower.  Consider processed foods as the same trouble maker as ethanol for my vintage mower and stick with the right gas.  Have a great day.

Two Food Groups

 Are you looking for a simple solution for determining optimized food choices?  In my opinion, all foods can be divided into two distinct categories.  The first group has been around for millions of years.  The second category hasn't been around long enough to know the full impact on our bodies.  What is certain is that these last hundred years or so haven't been kind to our health.  Some people are winning big, like the companies who invent drugs to treat our modern day health issues.  Government wins as well because they no longer cut checks for your social security when the death certificate is signed.

The next time you go shopping you will be able to distinguish between the two categories.  If there aren't any ingredient labels on the food you are buying, you are in the "God-made" food group and your odds of great health are in the stratosphere.  The other group is the man-made group.  Ask your doctor what he or she believes is the source of your ailments.  Prescription pills are one way to be treated if you desire to eat all the experimental foods on the market today loaded with harmful man-made foods that your body doesn't know how to process.  Who knows? Maybe someday your doctor may tell you the pills you are consuming are no longer necessary.  That's between you and your doctor.  Have a great day.

The Importance of Community

 What would you do if suddenly, out of nowhere, you got a call about someone you love who suffered a heart attack or stroke?  What if someone you love had a fall and no one knew about it because nobody checked in on them?  What steps would you take?  Do you know who to call for help?  I'm not writing this to make you feel guilty if you don't know the answers.  In fact, I'm sharing this from personal experience.

Twenty-one years ago my dad was living far, far away from his adult children.  He was dying.  None of us knew this.  It took an act of God to open up the lines of communication.  It's true that many people in this world prefer seclusion and isolation.  They value privacy more than relationships.  What about the others who are in our circle of friends that we are in a relationship with?  What happens when they suffer a tragedy but we don't even know?

I'm making a commitment to get contact numbers for friends of loved ones so that in the event of a tragedy I can reach out to the community and share the news.  How about you?  Are you willing to do the same thing for the loved ones in your life?  Take action.  Start today.  Have a great day.

Fascinating

 It's no secret I'm a huge Star Trek fan.  Mr. Spock inspired the term, "Live Long and Prosper."  He gives credit to his timeless hand gesture from his fictional home planet, Vulcan, to the leaders of his house of worship who stood on stage and used the hand gesture to offer blessings.  That's what I hope for when you read my book.  May it be a blessing for you and your family.  

The photo you see here is from my time in Las Vegas, star date 12.04.02.  My teammates and I  were treated to an all-expenses paid adventure.  Star Trek, The Experience was on display and I immediately beamed up to be up close and personal.  By the way, Captain James Kirk will be born in a neighboring town at a later star date.  Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to share a pleasant memory from my past.  Have a great day.

Confessions of a Struggling Gardener

 

Everyone in my Southern California neighborhood knew it.  There it was, this spectacle on top of a mountain in a sleepy neighborhood filled with lush landscaping, all except for the eyesore in my backyard, a mixture of weeds and half-dead ice plants.  The gopher from the movie, Caddieshack, took up residence on my 1/2 acre property and invited friends and family from his species to squat illegally the entire time I lived in San Diego Country Estates.  Word got out that we are animal lovers.  It was twenty-two years of guerrilla warfare between me and my furry militants who drove me away with my tail between my legs and a white flag of surrender flying on top of the antenna on my U Haul.  Even our son's pet, Roxy, cowered in shame as we drove off in search of greener pastures.

What does one do when he fails at gardening?  Well, if you're me, you listen to your wife and move to where the grass is greener and no sprinkler systems are necessary.  I couldn't believe it when I arrived in Iowa eleven years ago.  No sprinklers?  No gophers?  Maybe this is Heaven.  As great as it is here, I still need to confess something.  The weeds are thriving in my back yard.  The good news is the line of trees along the rear of my property do a great job of obstructing the view of the weed infestation.  The bad news?  My next door neighbors on both sides of our home can't escape my failed attempts to mimic the 18th hole at Pebble Beach sans the ocean.  They are forgiving but I need a solution for my gardening struggles.

When God created Adam he gave him the Garden of Eden and put him to work.  Eve came along and became his life-time partner.  God told Adam to guard the garden and protect his wife.  If you are a believer, you know what happened.  Adam let the snake in.  He stood by and did nothing while Eve was unprotected.  All Adam had to do was stay on guard and keep the weeds and the vipers out.  I know exactly how Adam feels based on my experience in Southern California.  As long as I'm confessing, I may as well admit that I couldn't keep the snakes away while living in Ramona.  My wife and kids can confirm this.  

What's the moral of the story?  If you're a man, do what God asks and tend to your garden.  Keep the snakes away.  Ask your neighbors to forgive you when you slack off.  When tornadic winds lift your shed off the ground and carry away your lawn mower, get off your butt, fix the mower, cut the grass, and, for God's sakes, work on that garden every day until you die.  Capiche? Have a great day.

Do You Have a Plan to Live in Your "Sweet Spot"?

 You need to know what your ideal sweet spot is before you can seek it.  I define this as being metabolically healthy, debt free, and a member of God's family who worships regularly (weekly). If you have a better place to live than this, I would love to hear your arguments.  In my opinion, the sweet spot is the place where you will find your most favorable outcome for all actions of your life.

I have absolutely zero right to stand on a soap box and chatter endlessly about your sweet spot.  This doesn't solve problems.  Just ask Charlie Brown about his interactions with his teachers.  Remember the muffled noises the teachers made every time they tried to tell Charlie to pay attention.  Their words were never discernible.  My hope for you is that maybe I can plant a couple of seeds and help you get on a path that leads to a better life.

If you knew me in my old life you knew a person who had three strikes against him when it came to sweet spot living.  I'll spare the details.  All I want to say is that my hope is to remain in my sweet spot for the rest of my life.  Getting there is not easy.  The world may even ridicule you for trying to get to your sweet spot.  Temptation may be your biggest enemy.  Your first step to living in your sweet spot is to decide this is where you want to be.  If you want this, let's talk.  If you don't want to talk, wait for the book, "Live Long and Prosper."  Have a great day.

Part II of Today's Message: Heaven Answers Dear Dad Letter

Make sure you read my "Dear Dad" letter from this morning before this bonus story.

My wife and I prepared for our morning worship after I released my "Dear Dad" letter.  We talked about how my dad might respond through nature.  My wife was visited by two colorful humming birds on Mother's Day and disappeared never to be seen again for the rest of the season.  My wife instantly knew it was a heavenly sign because her mom had a humming bird feeder outside her home and loved spending time gazing upon them while going through her cancer treatments.  My wife asked how my dad might reach out on Father's Day from Heaven.

The response came at exactly 10:28 AM, two minutes before I was to stand up in front of the congregation and lead our prayer for our parish.  My wife lit four candles.  Not the small ones but the four big ones at the top of the arrangement.  I came out to join her after spending a few minutes preparing for my lector duties.  She told me the fourth candle could be for my intentions which I offered to my dad.  The flames from the match were overwhelming and my wife had to let go of it in order to keep from being burned.  I asked if I should try to fish it out of the glass container but she told me it would burn out on its own.  We sat down and waited for our pastor to come out for our 10:30 service.  

The flames got bigger.  My wife whispered, "This is just like the candles at your uncle Tom's funeral service.  Look at the flame!"  I immediately thought about dad's barbecues.  He was known for spectacular flames.  Maybe that's why his brother, Jim, often complained about the burgers being burnt.  Then, Boom!!! The glass exploded and shattered glass shot across the carpeted floor.  Our pastor came out and tried to pick up the broken glass but he burned his fingers.  We collected the shards of glass and began our worship.  I was 100% assured that dad got my letter this morning and responded quicker than a Jimmy John's delivery driver.  Amen!  Have a great day.

Dear Dad (In Heaven)

 Dear Dad,

It's been 21 years since you said good-bye.  Seems like yesterday.  Sometimes it stings, like today.  Sure, there are those happy times, like when I fire up the Weber you gave me and remember how you barbecued like no other.  I thought of you most while in Ireland for ten days last year.  Our bishop said it best when he described how the veil between Heaven and earth is thin at times, especially in places like Ireland.  On this Father's day I wish that veil could be a wee bit thinner and that I could deliver this message in person.  Since that's impossible this letter will be all I can do.

Dad, thanks for being my dad.  Thanks for all the sacrifices you made.  Thanks for coming back to us one last time before going to be with Jesus.  This morning I listened to some songs you had on your juke box at Mulligans to reflect on those times you were still with us.  The Piano Man.  Me and Bobby McGee.  And then it hit me hard when I watched Sammy Davis, Jr. perform one of your favorites, Mr. Bojangles, on YouTube.  How cool it must be to be surrounded with Sammy, your mom, dad, siblings, and long-time friends.  

Dad, if you're allowed to peer through that veil today and see us, you can see the ripples of all your earthly actions.  Life was not easy for us.  God never promised us easy.  What he did promise is that he is always with us.  You may not be here today on Father's day but memories of you live on.  I just want to say thanks for bringing me and my siblings into this world.  I'm sharing this letter with my friends.  Many have dads in Heaven, like newcomers, John and Tom Mulligan, your brothers.  God bless the families who have dads residing in Heaven.  Happy Father's Day, dad.  

Love,

Michael

My Weekly Hospital Visits

Where do people go when they are spiritually sick?  In my opinion, the best place to go is your house of worship.  Sadly, those who are in denial about their poor spiritual health are the same ones who choose other alternatives while avoiding God's hospital at all costs.

I know all the standard objections.  You have heard them as well.  Some say, "I'm too busy."  Really?  Too busy to go to a hospital and get treatment for your soul?  Others say, "the kids have sports."  Really?  Sports are more important than getting your kids spiritually healthy?  What about those who say, "I prefer to worship God my way, like when I'm in nature."?  I'm the first one to tout the health benefits of a nature hike.  That doesn't help the community of sick people in your congregation who could use the benefit of your presence next to them while they are struggling.

There have been many times in my life when I needed God's intensive care yet I tried to do things my way without worshipping.   I resisted.  Now I fully understand that my weekly hospital visits are helping my soul to heal from past wounds.  I'm not there to "get something" out of it.  I'm not there because it makes me "feel good."  In fact, the way I feel means nothing about my hospital visits.  

Tomorrow is Father's Day.  It's a great day for dads.  Just remember who your real Father is.  When was the last time you went to your local house of worship to give God the glory for all the blessings in your life?  Maybe Father's Day is the best day ever to get a soul checkup.  Consider it a hospital visit.  Have a great day.

Organizing Part II

My boss asked for volunteers to haul away filing cabinets that are being discarded due to our remodel going on at my day job.  I took home a four drawer filing cabinet for the garage and a two drawer for my home office.  The two drawer cabinet serves as an expanded surface area and quick access to my notes for my writing projects.  

Organizing takes commitment.  It also requires that everything has a place to be put away in a place not labeled as a junk drawer.  Yes, I have a long way to go in the organization area of my life.  The baby steps are working.  Have a great day. 

Massive Dent in Honey Do List

 I'm headed to my day job in a few minutes.  All I can say is that during the last couple of days I made a massive dent in the honey do list.  All of this is inspired by my commitment to go all in on doing the things that bring joy to my bride of 33 years and 11 months.  We are now exactly one month away from 34 years of marriage.

If you really want to know the secret to a happy marriage, I have a pretty good idea.  It's all about serving.  People will tell you it's all about give and take.  The ones who take don't stay married.  The ones who give find fulfillment.  Doubt what I'm saying?  Ask my wife.  Have a great day.

Is Your Life an Adventure?

 I said farewell to a teammate at my day job on Monday.  We connected instantly when we discovered our shared past of coming from California.  The transition is something most people would never understand unless they experienced it in their own lives.  My friend had no clue I'm a writer until we talked last week while on a break.  She seemed stunned when I told her I penned a novel based on my own adventures.  She went home and ordered a copy of "The Caveman in the Mirror" and told me she couldn't wait to read it upon her return to California.

My wife understands better than anyone on the planet how much I love immersing myself in my writing.  Each project has its own flavor.  Unlike most writers who specialize in one genre, I seem to enjoy wandering around in unmarked trails off the beaten path.  I'm fine entering the forest without knowledge of where the hike ends or how long it will take to arrive at my destination.  This is what adventures are – experiences.  

If your life seems stale and boring, consider turning it into an adventure.  Go somewhere you've never been before.  Meet new people.  Try a new experience.  And if your name happens to be Antonia, I just want to say thank you for sharing your dreams with me about your future.  I hope you like my book.  And, thank you  for sharing a copy of your dad's book with me.  I can't wait to read it.  Have a great day.

Why You Might Want to Go Tankless

 We did it.  We bit the bullet and switched to a tankless water heater.  The last dinosaur water heater we had made it six years which is pretty good when you're using a soft water system.  We called our neighborhood plumber when we spotted a leak and decided to go with the new technology.  

If you can get over the sting of the higher price tag for a tankless water heater, you will lower your utility bills because tankless water heaters use less energy.  According to my plumber, the life span is much longer and the warranty covers 15 years.  There is less maintenance and hot water in abundance.  In fact, we can run our dishwasher, washing machine and take showers at the same time.  It's amazing.  We now have more storage space as our new addition to the family is much smaller than a traditional water heater.  

We give our new tankless heater five stars.  Give this a try the next time you have to say goodbye to your old dinosaur.  Have a great day.

Sardines – A Surprise Catch

 

Have you seen this brand of sardines in your neighborhood grocery store?  If not, try www.seasonproducts.com and order 12-pack online for about $2/can.  Before you get a bad taste in your mouth from the thought of eating sardines, hold your breath for a moment and read on.  I want you to consider what you're currently eating.  Take a hard look at the food labels.  How many times do you see sugar as the top ingredient?  Odds are you have a food addiction.  You may need a fishy solution to break your addiction.  I already know I need to pack sardines for my Ragbrai long distance bike ride next month.  Part of my training consists of eating sardines.  I'm on day 2 in a row.  The experiments continue in order to find the best way to make this food more pleasant to consume.

If you have any thoughts or recipes for sardines, please share.  Have a great day.

Men's 4.0 40+ Team Captures Iowa League State Title

 

Who do you spend your free time with?  Have you ever heard about how you become an average of the five closest people you hang out with?  There are studies that reveal this goes beyond your five closest friends.  It even extends to friends of friends.  That's why I'm excited to share something about the people I spend my free time with.  These guys are champions.  At the center of all of this is our captain, Jim Sichterman, the captain of three different teams I play on.  Jim is relentless.  He volunteers as a high school tennis coach when he's not busy coaching all of us which means the next generation of players is in good hands.

The match, like many of our matches throughout the year, came down to the wire.  We needed our number three doubles team to win in a manner unlike three other matches of the day that ended in thriller super tiebreakers.  These guys knew that in order to capture the state bragging rights they had to be decisive in their victory.  Well guys, congratulations.  Great win.  Although I'm not eligible for the next round of play in the men's 40+ sectional tournament, I do hope to join you for the 18+ regional play should we duplicate the outcome later this month.  

In case you're wondering who happens to be in my circle of friends, here you go.  Besides team captain, Jim, my teammates are doctors, teachers, a college professor from Australia, a pilot, a retired bank CEO, and our newest addition, Wahyu (from Indonesia), who made a special trip to my day job to share the good news of our victory.  The championship was in Wahyu's and David's hands and they piloted the win.  Way to go, guys.  We are not only teammates, we are friends.  Have a great day.

Nature's Alarm Clock

Some may argue my unconventional alarm may be risky.  I agree.  It's risky to go to bed without setting an alarm clock.  There are rare times when I still go back to my old ways, like when my sleep schedule is rearranged or I need to be up extra early to catch a flight.  Otherwise, I rely on birds and sunlight.    Sure, there's no sun at 4:00 am but my body does sense small increases in light.  Also, the birds are wide awake by 4am.  

The secret to waking up without a traditional alarm clock is to train your body to go to sleep 8 hours before you plan to wake up.  Keep this consistent.  Sometimes, the success or failure of your day can come down to the quality and quantity of your sleep the night before.  Quality sleep influences your mood.  Wake up happy and you're on your way.  Have a great day.

Why are You Outside the Circle?

 

Remember the circle of trust from "Meet the Fockers"?  The big goal for the future son-in-law, Greg (Ben Stiller), was to be accepted by his fiancee's family and be included in the Byrnes family circle of trust created by his future father-in-law, Jack (Robert Di Niro).  

What about your own circle of trust?  The consequences of living outside the circle are enormous.  This isn't Di Niro's circle, it's God's circle.  Like Di Niro, God is watching.  He's not watching to catch you blowing it, he's watching because he loves you and he wants you in the circle.  

If you're not inside the circle, why?  Are you being held back?  Are invisible forces fighting against you?  Has the truth about who God is been so distorted that you now believe life is better living outside the circle? Are there too many rules?  

If you're not sure why you're outside the circle, I have a thought for you to consider.  The idea comes from a prisoner who was locked up for preaching about life inside the circle.  He wrote a letter to some people who were seeking advice.  This is an excerpt of what he wrote:

Dear brothers and sisters,

We are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  (Ephesians 6:12)

Love,

Paul

If you are sick and tired of all those demons who are attacking you nonstop, maybe you should decide today to enter the circle.  This circle is where you belong.  All you have to do is say, "Jesus, I want in."  Think about it.  Have a great day.

Getting Organized

 One of my greatest weaknesses is staying organized.  It's easier for me to throw things into a "junk drawer" then to take an extra minute and file them in a place for easy access.  It's the same way in my garage.  The problem with this lifestyle is hunting and gathering things when you need them and not finding them in a timely manner.  Well, all of this is changing.  I spent a couple of weeks on my garage.  It's not perfect but getting better.  I also spent the morning organizing my notes for my books, blogs, vlogs, and marketing.  There will be significant time savings in the future.  What are you doing to enhance the quality of your life?  Do something today that will make your future self thankful.  Have a great day.

Doctor, Doctor

My annual physical is set for the end of this month.  While doctors are forbidden to share information about their patients, that doesn't stop me from sharing my own results.  After all, we're in this together and my hope is that by sharing my lessons about health, you may improve your own health.  Most people in my age group are afraid to visit their doctor.  As we age, our health tends to decline.  I'm actually excited about my visit.  I want to see how my most recent food experiments are influencing my lipid panel.  Stay tuned.  Have a great day.

Something Fishy About Ragbrai Bike Ride

 

The 50th anniversary of Ragbrai, a bike ride across the state of Iowa, takes place next month.  I'm in (unofficially) for the last half of the weeklong ride.  Time off from my day job has been granted.  This is my second year in a row participating.  It's extra exciting for me because I'll be camping out one night in the town of Coralville where I work.  One of our longtime friends lives along the route in the Amana Colonies and he promised he and his wife will be cheering for me when I pass his home.

Now the fishy part of the story.  Some of you have been wondering how I survive grueling heat and lack of food along the ride.  I'm not one of those highly trained cyclists who train year round for events like Ragbrai.  Yes, my tennis training is helpful although I'm only averaging two to three hours a week on the courts.  What's my secret?  There is one area where I'm training like someone who is going for the Olympic gold medal.  It has to do with my food program.  I don't call it a diet because, in my opinion, diets are not really considered life-time habits.  Diets are things you do in the short run to achieve a goal, like weight loss.  I'm going for the whole enchilada.  I desire metabolic flexibility and a body that can be healthy well into my advanced years.  So far, so good.  I'll be packing one food that will sustain me for hundreds of miles – sardines.  Are sardines a top choice amongst cyclists?  I doubt it.  I consider sardines to be one of the best food choices anyone can make.  Stay tuned for the rest of the story.  Have a great day.

Guardian Angel Inspires a Sweet Spot Dream

 Something out of this world happened yesterday.  It started on Saturday with a dream.  I put it off to the side and thought about the dream again when I was waking up yesterday morning on Sunday.  I was listening to my morning podcast from Fr. Mike, the YouTube priest who is helping listeners understand everything they need to know about God.  I had my headphones on and I was busy preparing breakfast.  That's when it happened.  Before I could turn off my phone and move on a "random" podcast appeared from a priest who specializes in exorcisms.  The topic was about angels.  Once the demon is about to be cleansed from the human he is possessing, the demon is under full control of the exorcist and must spill the beans on what the dark side is doing to torture mankind.  I decided to listen to the podcast and get a glimpse thinking maybe it was my Guardian Angel who intervened.  Talk to me if you want to know more about this topic.  

I shared what I learned from the angel podcast with my wife and elaborated on my dream about three circles that represented the three main topics in "Live Long and Prosper."  I drew a picture of the vision just before heading out the door to our house of worship.  That's when all the "coincidences" became crystal clear.  The picture on Sunday's bulletin was nearly identical to my dream I had on Saturday morning.  Take a look at my  vision and compare it to the photo of the three circles pictured on the front of our church bulletin.  If you are a believer you may think I found proof of my Guardian Angel's presence in my life.  If you are a non-believer, you may consider yourself outside the circle.  All I can say today is that you may change your mind after you read my next book.  My hope for you is that you not only get inside the "believer" circle but you also make it to the "sweet spot" inside all three circles.  Have a great day.

A Sign Your Money isn't Work Hard Enough for You

If you're looking for an easy way to measure your performance in the financial arena, all you have to do is answer one question.  How much interest did you pay last year?  If the answer is anything above zero, you're not maximizing your finances.   Ask yourself why you're paying interest.  Interest is a symptom of a deeper issue.  Maybe you're not living within your means.  Perhaps you like to splurge on things that wreak havoc with your finances.

It took me decades to reach a point in my life where interest is no longer part of the family budget.  The challenge now is to make sure I don't put my progress into reverse.  I discovered that deferred dreams are better than money nightmares resulting from a "buy it now attitude."  We saved our pennies for a year before committing to our deck projects and paid cash.  How about you?  Are you ready to get serious about removing interest payments from your budget?  Today is a great day to start.  Have a great day. 

In Search of

If you could identify the three top topics you would love to have answers to, what would your list look like? Think about your list before we go any deeper today and then we can compare notes.  Write your questions down and set them off to the side.

Now, think back to a time in your life when questions flowed out of you like there was no tomorrow.  Remember when you were a kid and you bombarded mom and dad with questions.  Maybe you searched on your own for answers.  Perhaps at some point in your life you stopped asking these questions.  Life is like that sometimes.  You get busy.  There are children to raise.  Bills to pay.  There are life events that seem to consume our time and our energy.  So, we simply put those questions off to the side.  We stop asking.  

My hope is that if you ever read my books you find yourself asking questions again.  I'm the first to admit I don't have all the answers.  I have theories.  I conduct experiments.  I search.  There are three main areas I seem to be spending my time exploring in my next book, "Live Long and Prosper."  They are broken down into 3 F's – Food, Finances, and Faith.  I will never have all the answers to these subjects.  Maybe that's why it's so difficult for me to publish.  Perhaps I need to change my thinking.  Maybe it's okay to share my stories with you as a starting point for you to embark on your own "In Search of."  What I do know is that questions are good.  Questions spark debate.  Questions help us seek the truth.  That's the end of my rant for today.  It's time to shower and head off to my day job.  Have a great day.

Mis Amigos

 

Phase II of our deck projects is complete.  We celebrated last night with carne and cervezas before sunset.  My wife always dreamed of having a front patio.  Perhaps it's a Midwest thing.  Well, her dream came true.  I will miss these guys.  Not only are they extremely gifted at construction, they are also hilarious.  I'm still laughing.  Anyways, it's time to head to my day job.  The honey do list is slowly decreasing.  Have a great day.  

They're Back

Phase II of our deck project is back on today after a false start.  My friends from Parceros Construction LLC discovered a shortage of materials I ordered and needed to abandon work until the missing materials were delivered.  Once again, these folks proved to me they are the best when it comes to reliability and superior workmanship.  The new patio deck will be completed by sunset today.  The false start was the only glitch and I'm responsible for the hiccup as I underestimated what was needed.  I'm blessed with a day off today to observe my new friends doing what they do best.  

If you live in Eastern Iowa and need help with a home improvement project, visit www.parerosconstructionllc.com.  Tell them the happy deck guy in Williamsburg referred you.  Have a great day.