Time to Represent Iowa on the Tennis Courts

 Our travel day is Thursday.  Daily matches against the top Midwest Men's 4.0 teams in the 18+ division begin on Friday in St. Louis.  Last team standing on Sunday afternoon goes to Surprise, Arizona in October.  These men are not only teammates, they are friends.  We have worked hard over the years to help each other improve.  The year-round conditioning has slowed down the hands of time.  What I like about tennis is no matter how old you are, there is still an age group you can play in all the way into your 90's.  Much of our success is because we have a captain who is willing to chart the way for us reach lofty goals.  I'm thankful for our captain and all my teammates who show up week after week to hone their skills.  Stay tuned for updates.  Have a great day.

What's in Your Family History?

 

Today's question is sparked by a new friend, Jerry, who sat across from me while I was having dinner in Tama the night before my RAGBRAI Tama to Coralville adventure.  Jerry is the brother of our bishop, Thomas Zinkula.  Jerry and his brother both shared stories about growing up on a farm in Iowa.  They both have a passion for bike riding and story telling.  Jerry shared how they traced their family roots all the way back to Europe.  If my memory serves me well, I believe they uncovered seven generations of the Zinkula bloodlines.  Jerry looked me in the eye and asked, "What about your family history?"  I shared about my grandfather on my dad's side of the family who raised his family in a small town, Langdon, in North Dakota.  "Farmer?"  Jerry asked.

"Family physician and father of ten," I answered.  "My grandfather relocated the family to Arizona in order for him to be healthier.  That's where most of the Mulligans are now."  I added that I did a DNA test and discovered a surprise...Tuscany, from my mother's side of the family.  Another surprise was Peru, also from my mother's side of the family.

"If your grandfather was a doctor, you must have come from privilege," Jerry surmised.

"Not really," I said.  "My dad considered himself to be the black sheep of his family.  There were others in my blood lines that got in trouble, like my great-great-great-great grandfather, Captain James Starkey, a captain in the pre-civil war era who faked documents in order to beef up the inadequate food rations for his men, some of them underage.  Starkey appeared before a court martial and was found guilty.  President Abraham Lincoln commuted his sentence which was harsh.  My ancestor was forbidden future military or political service.  Lincoln allowed my relative to enter the political arena as Minnesota was becoming a state.    Starkey served as a leader in the newly formed state house and went on to set up the sewer system in St. Paul, Minnesota."  

I turned to the bishop and brought up the story I shared with him while in Ireland on the pilgrimage he led.  It was time to go deep, like 2,000 years deep.  This story sounds like science fiction.  I didn't have the kind of help the Zinkula family had when they hired ancestry specialists in Europe to uncover their family history.  I had something very different.  I talked about the Demoniac Luke wrote about in the Bible.  I found him when I prayed to Jesus to show me who I am in his eyes.  Warning!  Don't do this unless you are ready for your life to be forever changed.  If you don't know the story of the demoniac, it's about a homeless crazy man possessed by multiple demons.  He lived in caves, wore no clothes, and scared the Hell out of the villagers who lived nearby.  Talk about a black sheep of the family.  This guy is the ultimate skeleton in your closet.  

Bishop Zinkula shared that this story is not part of the cycle of readings and is not really talked about much.  I asked, "Is there anyone else in the Bible who asked to follow Jesus but was turned down?"  Neither of the Zinkula brothers could think of anyone other than the demoniac.  Everyone else got a pass; the prostitute, the tax collector, the murderer, everyone.  Jesus goes out of his way to save the man, give him clothes, and restore him to humanity and now he's leaving him behind.  

There was no way I was going to leave Bishop Zinkula, soon to be the archbishop of Dubuque, or his brother Jerry on a sour note.  My interpretation of this caveman I saw in the mirror is that Jesus had a special plan and this man needed to stay behind to publish all the good Jesus is doing for him.  I told Jerry that's what I do every day when I write my stories."

"How many stories have you written?"  Jerry asked.

"5,000.  My hope is that my story will end the same way the Demoniac's story ended.  If you read the full story in Luke 8:26-40, Jesus returns to the village and there's a whole crowd waiting based on the once-possessed man's story telling."  

Okay.  I've spilled the beans on my family history.  How about you?  Do you know where you come from?  Let me know the next time our paths cross.  Have a great day.

Good Vibes

 

My Ragbrai experience ended at 11:40pm last night when I pulled into my driveway after one of the most challenging days of my life.  My day began a couple of hours before sunrise in Tama.  I camped outside a house of worship next to my Ford Escape.  Sleeping was challenging due to all the trains nearby that blasted their horns throughout the night.  Not wanting to miss the cool weather, I hustled to throw my gear into my vehicle.  I gulped down large quantities of electrolytes.  Departure was 5:45AM.  

Sunrise was magnificent.  I found the perfect place to eat my can of sardines and load up on more water in preparation for the high heat that exceeded the weatherman's predictions.  I don't think anyone expected the heat index to reach 111º or that a storm would strike near the end of the day destroying tents scattered throughout the community of Coralville, a stopover point during the weeklong bike ride across the state.

I thought I was doing okay with all the conditions until I left Oxford, the last town on the trail.  "This is Oxford's parting gift," one of the riders shouted, referring to the steep incline we confronted immediately after departed the town.  It foreshadowed something that just about got the best of me, miles and miles of steep hills.  I pushed myself trying to make it to my destination in time for a church service led by my friend, the bishop of our diocese.  Bishop Zinkula is the one who led us on a ten day pilgrimage to Ireland last year. He was accompanied by other friends, Steve and Barb, who put the pilgrimage together.  Barb snapped photos for her newspaper while taking notes.  The conversation was incredible.  The bishop's brother, Jerry, sat across from me and he told stories about what is was like during their childhood growing up on a farm in Iowa.  The bishop joked that he is often called the "Ragbrai bishop" because it's something that he loves doing, engaging with his flock in places outside traditional worship centers.  I told the bishop that my plans centered around his service at 6:15pm the next day.  Sadly, I missed the service due to what happened along the way.

My mind started playing tricks on me.  I was calculating the number of miles to go and the time it would take to get to Coralville for the service.  I didn't account for the extreme heat or the massive hills at the end of the ride.  Mother Nature threw me a curve ball when she delivered a massive storm with 80mph winds.  Fortunately, I was in a bike tunnel directly beneath interstate 80 when the storm struck.  Other RAGBRAI riders huddled in the tunnel, checking their phones to see when it would be safe to get to their campsite.  My campsite was three miles away and it was getting dark fast.  

I mounted a headlight on my bike that hadn't been used since the last Ragbrai event a year ago.  Fortunately, the charge was okay and I had enough light to get to my Escape that my family dropped off earlier in the day.  It was still raining but the winds died down.  I found my vehicle and loaded my bike.  My RAGBRAI adventure was about to come to a conclusion when I drove home to cuddle with my wife.

I stepped on the scale this morning and discovered my body weight dropped five pounds despite loading up on sardines, ribeye, and barbecued pork throughout the ride.  A friend urged me to "load up on carbs," but that lifestyle is no longer a part of my lifestyle.  Part of my motivation for participating in RAGBRAI was to test my food theories I will be sharing in "Live Long and Prosper."  My new lifestyle is focused on fatty foods and protein.  My body is completely detoxed from processed foods and all things containing sugar.  In my opinion, I survived one of the most grueling days of my life by sticking to natural foods my body thrives on.  My total bike miles came in at 93, five more than the other riders because my overnight location was another five miles away from the finish line.  

I would like to thank my friends and family for all the encouragement during my ride.  Special thanks to my adult kids who gave me my jersey shown in today's picture.  Numerous riders commented on the jersey, "Good Vibes."  Every time I wear it I will be reminded of the 50th anniversary of RAGBRAI.  If you are seeking adventure, put this ride on your bucket list.  Hopefully, Mother Nature will be more cooperative.  Have a great day.

On the Ragbrai Trail Today

 88 miles of bike riding today.  I will be on the road before this story is released.  I set up camp at a local house of worship in Tama.  The sunset was gorgeous and the temps finally cooled enough to give me a good night of sleep.  Stay tuned for more adventures.  Have a great day.

Ripples

Imagine your actions as ripples in a body of water.  Consider each ripple carrying a message in a bottle for someone else.  You may not ever know who opens the bottle.  A loved one.  A friend.  An enemy.  A stranger.  It doesn't matter who the recipient is.  What matters is you contribute to the world.  Every action, big or small, matters.  Inaction also matters.  If you fail to act, you are withholding the ripples that benefit others.  

Don't ask me for the meaning of your ripples.  I don't have the answers.  All I know is each of us is uniquely qualified to add our own customized ripples that no one else can exactly duplicate.  Each ripple has its own musical note.  When the notes interact, there is music.  If you are reading this story, our ripples are already connected.  Thank you for taking the time to read my messages in a bottle.  Thank you for your willingness to contribute your ripples to the world.  Have a great day.

When God and Ragbrai Mix

 It's  three hours on the tennis courts starting at 5pm today, the night before I join my Ragbrai buddies.  The only thing certain about this adventure is where I will be on Friday night at 6:15pm.  It's a double blessing for me because our bishop, the one who installed our new pastor in Williamsburg on Sunday, is presiding at a Ragbrai worship service at 6:15 pm in the same town, Coralville, where my day job is located.  All our welcome.  This is the same way Jesus did it with his followers.  Everything was done on the road.

If you would like to join me for some worship, this service may be one of the most unique ways I know of finding Jesus.  He promises where two or three are gathered in his name, he is there.  Whether you are riding or are cheering for the riders, look me up in Coralville.  Have a great day.

My Last "Easy" Day for a While

 Tomorrow will be one of my most intense tennis practices this year.  When one of my teammates discovered the forecast calls for nearly 100º (tennis court temps exceed this because the heat is trapped on the court surface), he asked if our practice time could be delayed.  Another teammate chimed in he will be wearing sweats during his workout while urging we should stick to our regular start time as preparation for our regional tournament.  We will be well prepared when we play in St. Louis the first week of August.

As for me, I will be joining my Ragbrai friends on Thursday, the hottest predicted day this summer.  My bike pack will be loaded with sardines and my water jugs will have ample amounts of electrolytes.  My body may not like what's ahead but my mind thrives when I approach my upper limits.  Easy won't be in my vocabulary after this final day of relative calm today.  After that, there is a "touch and go" for one night of sleep in my own bed before heading off to another day job adventure in Ohio.  Stay tuned for daily updates on the road.  Have a great day.

How Long to Reach Your Sweet Spot?

 Perhaps you considered an earlier story I wrote about living in your sweet spot, the place where you are metabolically healthy, financially independent, and worshipping weekly.  You want to get there but you're not sure how to make it happen or how long it will take.  Congratulations!  That's the first step, desire to have a sweet spot life.  What you need is a strategy.  

In my opinion, the easiest step involves weekly worship.  You simply decide, I'm going to find a house of worship and clear my calendar every Saturday or Sunday for the rest of my life.  You're in.  A word of caution;  the Enemy will do everything to stop you from this.  There will be impediments.  Keep in mind that this request comes directly from God in the form of the 10 commandments.  God told Moses to tell us, "Keep Holy the Sabbath."  In my opinion, the best way to do this is weekly worship in God's house.  You can achieve this within one week.

The next milestone is metabolic health.  You have two food choices, God-made and man-made.  Many new man-made foods have been introduced in the last hundred years.  Take a good look around and decide if man-made is working.  Almost 9 times out of ten, you will notice something our ancestors never had to deal with – oversized bellies, a sign of poor metabolic health.  Try God-made foods for 45 days and see what your doctor says about your health.

Depending on how deep you are in debt, this milestone may take the longest.  Don't fret.  Two out of three is pretty good.  If you're going to live long and live healthy, you may as well enjoy the reduced stress that comes from being debt free.  My wife and I chose to mostly follow Dave Ramsey using the baby step program.  We were in deep debt when we started.  Our process took ten years.  The key is to be consistent.

This story is the Reader's Digest version of "Live Long and Prosper."  I will be sharing more strategies when this book is released.  While it may be true that finding your sweet spot isn't easy, it's definitely worth it.  Go for it.  Find your worship tribe.  Discover healthy eating.  Change the way you look at money.  Have a great day.  

Special Day at Our House of Worship Today

 Our bishop is visiting our house of worship today.  Our new pastor will be formally installed by our bishop during this morning's service.  My boss at my day job extended my start time so that I could be a part of the celebration following our service.  This is a huge blessing for our community.  It's widely known that regular worship is declining in every denomination throughout the world.  80% of the population does not worship regularly.  Our new pastor has his work cut out for him.  I can't wait to attend this very important day in our community.  Have a great day.

Tightening the Belt

 I'm on the last belt notch.  The nice thing about this is the belt is getting tighter rather than looser, something that rarely happens in the 60+ age group.  While it may be easy to blame the food industry for America's excessive weight gain and poor health, I choose not to.  We have our own free will.  No one is forcing us to buy what the food industry is selling.  

The issue I have is with the marketing side of the business.  Follow the money and you will see why most people in my age group are loosening their belts.  It has to do with fake foods marketed as the best thing since sliced bread.  By the way, in my opinion, sliced bread is no bueno.  

Pay attention to the food labels.  If you prefer not to read the fine print, skip processed foods altogether and stick with foods that have no labels.  No labels equals no fake ingredients.  What do you have to lose?  My bet is you will lose all those extra pounds around your belly.  Have a great day.

The Weakest Link Theory

You may have heard the saying, "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link."  I believe this to be true, especially since I've often found myself to be that weakest link.  Winning teams find ways to support those who need help.  I'm fortunate to have that in multiple areas of my life...winning tennis teammates, winning day job teammates, winning family members including countless cousins in the extended family, and winning teammates in my faith community.  

Keep your focus on those who may be struggling.  Give them a hand up.  Encourage them to be the best version of themselves they can be.  If you are one of those strong people in my life who offers help, I want you to know how thankful I am.  May you live long and prosper.  Have a great day. 

Ragbrai Next Week

 The state of Iowa will be inundated with approximately 75,000 cyclists next week.  I will be one of them.  Although I'm only riding for part of the week, I feel like I'm going to get a full experience I will never forget.  Most of these riders will be carb loading before and during the ride.  I won't.  I'm testing my caveman food program when I push my 63yr-old body to it's upper limits.  I'm embracing canned sardines, electrolytes, and all foods high in fat content while avoiding processed foods and sugar.  There won't be any time to rest as our Men's 18+ tennis team is heading to St. Louis the following week for the next round of regional competition.  For me it will be a repeat of the Ragbrai food experiment...no carbs, no sugar, nothing with ingredients on the label, and food choices that are fat heavy.

For those who pay attention to stats, my blood pressure reading came in at near record lows yesterday.  I'm ecstatic to report 123/78 which is spot on for my age.  It was off-the-chart readings that inspired me to change my ways and I'm thankful for those who helped me get my health back.  I will be sharing stories while on the road the next couple of weeks.  Stay tuned.  Have a great day.

The Talking Ants

 The lines between fiction and reality are sometimes blurred.  This story happens to be one of them.  I know ants can't really talk.  What I know about ants is they somehow show up uninvited every time I roll out a blanket for a picnic.  What if we could trap the ants and lock them up in a glass jar so they would stop bothering us?  The stage is now set for my talking ant story...

Two ants, a male and a female lived in a plush garden.  They could do anything they wanted except for one thing; they were told to never ever walk on the blanket.  The female ant longed to know what could be on the blanket but she kept her thoughts to herself.  One day a visitor squirmed its way into the garden where the two ants lived and told the ant lady of the garden about all the delicious foods stashed away in a picnic basket on top of the blanket that the ants really should try.  The foods in the basket were unreal, especially this white substance the ants never knew before.  Sure enough, the female ant listened to the squirmy snake in the garden and slithered onto the blanket undetected.  The female ant zig-zagged its way to the picnic basket and found an opening.  No wonder this was off limits.  The food was heavenly.  The male ant saw what was going on but was afraid to join the female ant on the blanket.  The female called out,  "I don't know what I'm eating but it's so good I just can't stop.  Please, join me.  It's a feast."

The next morning the ants woke up from their drunken slumber, eager to get back to the picnic for some more of the white substance but something was wrong.  They found themselves trapped in a glass jar.  The garden vanished into thin air.  Fortunately, there was some sand in the jar but that was about it.  Days turned into months.  Months turned into years.  The ants multiplied.  They occupied their time by telling stories.  All the other ants wanted to know more about the secret garden.  Some ants questioned if the picnic blanket ever existed.

Thousands of years passed.  Some of the ants decided to live deep inside the sand while others preferred living on the surface where there was abundant sunshine.  Gradually, the ants became more colorful.  Some were red, some black, and some white.  One day there was a giant earthquake.  All the ants were highly agitated.  They looked for someone to blame.  The black ants blamed the red ants.  They fought each other to the death not knowing that the snake who ensnared them was shaking the glass jar just to make their lives miserable.

One day, out of nowhere, a blue ant showed up.  He was the best story teller of all.  He explained to the other ants that they didn't belong living in a glass jar.  He knew all about the secret garden and the picnic blanket.  All the other ants wanted to know how to get to the garden and they listened intently.  The blue ant was really popular at first, especially when it healed the ants who were sick.  Some ants were blind at birth.  They were healed by the blue ant.  Others couldn't speak.  Well, the blue ant healed them and soon there were telling stories about how great the blue ant is.  They spilled the beans about who the blue ant really is and why he snuck into the glass jar.  Unfortunately, the escape plan was met with resistance, especially when the the blue ant talked about dying first in order to escape the glass jar.  All the other ants got together and killed the blue ant.  The greatest earthquake of all times happened at the exact moment the blue ant was killed.  

Some say the blue ant returned three days later.  Only a small number of ants saw the blue ant but word spread quickly.  The message from the blue ant was simple – stop killing each other every time there's an earthquake.  The real problem isn't the black ants, the red ants, or the white ants.  The problem is the numskull who is shaking the glass jar.  The numskull had it all until he wanted more.  He got what he wanted, a glass jar filled with talking ants that don't even belong to him.  These talking ants belong to the blue ant who was sent to rescue all the whole colony.  

Sorry.  I can't share the rest of the talking ant story because that's in the future and no one knows when the ants will be free at last to return to the picnic in paradise.  If you want a hint, all I can say is the numskull shaking the glass jar is getting really upset because he knows the blue ant is coming back.  He's going to shake the hell out of his glass jar and intimidate the colony.  There will be more earthquakes.  There will be famine.  The glass jar will be flipped upside down.  The red ants will continue to fight the black ants and the white ants will kill the red ants.  History will keep repeating itself.  Many will say, "There's no such thing as a blue ant."  Others will say, "Ants can't talk."  Perhaps ants and people have more in common than we think.  You decide.  Have a great day. 

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Do you remember the song, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," by the Beatles?  It's about picturing yourself in a boat on a river or on a train in a station, and you meet a girl with kaleidoscope eyes.  Some say John Lennon's creativity was drug induced and that may be the case.  I prefer John's story about Lucy as a response to his son's school drawing featuring one his friends, Lucy, who young Julian pictured up in the sky with diamonds.

I may not be picturing myself on a boat or on a train, but rather in a self-contained mobile home on wheels that transports my wife and me to magical places throughout the United States and beyond.  Lucy, the name for our future second home on wheels, may only be a dream I'm seeing through kaleidoscope eyes.  Yesterday I created the "Lucy file" to keep notes about how Lucy will be created.  Creating her is similar to writing books.  First, there is a dream.  Next, there is a step by step process of stitching ideas together into chapters.  Gradually, the dream becomes tangible.  When you see "Lucy in the sky with diamonds," make sure you pay attention to the beautiful lady seated in the co-pilot's chair, the one who married the man with enough dreams to fill a yellow submarine to full capacity.  I hope my co-pilot is as fond of Lucy and that she loves Lucy as much as I do.  I will be sharing stories about Lucy's progress along the way.  Have a great day.

The Big Boss is Coming on Sunday

 News spread quickly there's a new sheriff in town at my house of worship who hails from Africa.  He announced at the conclusion of our service yesterday that he wants all of us to worship at 10:30 AM next Sunday when the big boss visits.  This is the same boss I met when my wife and I signed up to go on a ten day pilgrimage to Ireland last fall.  It's the same boss who plans to ride his bike across Eastern Iowa on the 50th anniversary of Ragbrai.  I will do my best to keep up with him during the bike ride.  The good news for me is there will be a series of rest stops along the way where followers can worship at designated houses of worship.

I recall watching a YouTube video about the challenges going on in the spiritual realm.  The speaker talked about specific people who are public enemy number one on the Dark Side.  In my opinion, the bishop of our area could possibly be at the top of the list.  Why?  Because our bishop is as humble as they come.  The Dark Side can't stand this.  They are baffled.  How could Jesus entrust the keys to the Kingdom to a mere mortal?  This has been going on for over 2,000 years and so far the line of succession remains unbroken all the way to our bishop.  

While in Ireland I had several conversations with our bishop.  At some point I told him I believe he has a target on his back.  This is the guy the Dark Side fears the most.  This is the guy who has the ultimate power to forgive sins.  He doesn't hold on to this power because it's not really meant for him, it's to be shared with the leaders of our denomination.  The new sheriff in town has this power to forgive that can be traced all the way back to Jesus.  Sadly, over 80% of all households in our country refuse to worship regularly.  Every day there's a new attack.  Every day a new denomination pops up.  We have never been this divided.  

The new sheriff in town preached about what Jesus said of the sower of seeds yesterday.  Most seeds die before the harvest.  My prayer today is that those who rejected the message come back and give the new sheriff a try.  My prayer is that when the big boss comes he will be welcomed by the flock.  After all, the big boss has a Bigger Boss.  When the Bigger Boss returns to get his keys to the Kingdom back, I hope he counts you as one of the seeds that got planted in fertile soil.  Have a great day.  

Thank You for Thinking of Us on Our Anniversary

 We felt an abundance of love and support from friends and family yesterday as we celebrated 34 years of marriage.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  We enjoyed a quiet evening at Casa de Mulligan.  Now it's off to worship and then some time at my day job.  Have a great day.

Celebrating 34 Years of Marriage Today

 Ask anyone who has been married a long time for tips and you will get consistent answers.  It's easy to blame the other when a marriage fails.  It's more challenging to look in the mirror.  In honor of my bride of thirty-four years who has prayed for me daily to be a better spouse, I'm sharing some thoughts today about marriage.

In my opinion, marriage is a radical re-orientation of your life as it was prior to entering new life. It's more profound than a caterpillar who becomes a butterfly.  In my faith, marriage is so sacred that we believe our Creator assigns an angel who watches over us throughout every moment of our new lives together.  I never heard of this special angel until earlier this year.  Wow!  An angel who watches over the two of us every moment of our lives.  Why?  Maybe because when marriage is done according to God's will, we are a reflection of God.  Two separate people become one.  We bring new life into the world when we procreate.  We honor God.

Is marriage easy?  In my opinion, it really does require a radical re-orientation away from self and toward your mate.  It's not about easy or hard; it's about a life-time of serving.  My re-orientation was a slow process.  I made mistakes.  I was selfish.  I didn't understand the concept of "guarding the garden and keeping the snakes out."  Adam blew this with Eve.  Eve made mistakes too but her faults were tied to Adam's failures.  

Happy anniversary, my love.  Thank you for being my bride of thirty-four years.  Those who know us well may claim we have seen it all.  I believe in my heart there is much more to come.  I will do my best to guard our garden and keep the snakes out.  You first kissed me when I was a frog.  Thank you for making me your prince.  Have a great day.

Messy, Beautiful Life Almost Balanced

 Should you find your life messy yet beautiful, and you desire solutions which may help you find balance, I recommend the book, "5 Simple Steps to Balance Your Messy Beautiful Life."  I had the good fortune of meeting the author, Stacey M. Dlouhy, when she stopped in at my day job a couple of months ago.  The front cover statement, "All change is hard, messy in the middle but beautiful at the end," is backed by the author's personal stories.  I've been reading a minimum of ten pages a day in order to complete this treasure trove of ideas for a better life.  There are now ten pages to go.  Once complete, this book will be gifted to my wife, the avid reader in the family. 

The longer I live, the more I see how random people entering your life are not coincidences.  Yesterday a gentleman came up to me with some questions.  I was busy but he told me he would wait for me because I'm the one who got him started and he wanted my advice.  It turns out both of us benefited from the conversation.  If you've been following my stories you may remember some references to "Lucy," a project that has been placed on the back burner so I can complete all the higher priority goals.  Lucy is a reward for completing the most challenging items on my to do list.  Even though Lucy won't come into my life until the Spring of 2025, this random gentleman I talked with yesterday planted some good seeds for this dream project.

The point of today's story is no matter how busy you are or how broken you may feel, you can actually find balance.  I would like to commend Stacey for sharing her life.  I would also like to thank Don, the gentleman I talked with yesterday about Lucy.  He shed light on how I will power up Lucy using state of the art flexible solar panels.  If all goes well, I may also have a solution for the shower/toilet, a necessary component if I want my bride of 33 years and 364 days to be comfortable during our future exploits.  Yes, my life is messy and beautiful.  Thanks to Stacey, it's a wee bit more balanced.  Check out her book on Amazon.  Have a great day.

Tranquil or Dread?

 What do you see on the horizon?  Whatever that may be, make sure you are aware of the filters you are using to see what's ahead.  If the filter you use is dread, you may find yourself apprehensive.  Fear creeps in.  You may attempt to lower the sails.  Your health may be at risk.  You may even cut ties to your friends based on this feeling.  

What if you could somehow replace the dread filter with a tranquil filter?  Instead of fearing the worst case scenario, you see the opportunity.  The future experience may bring overwhelming joy if you can cancel out those butterflies in your stomach.

These filters, tranquil and dread, are in your tool box.  You are a fisherman at sea.  Your tool box is your tackle box.  What bait will you choose for your next catch?  Remember this:  the fish are more apt to bite when it's raining.  You can be at peace during any storms as long as you choose the right filter.  Have a great day.

Connecting the Dots

 My writing journey can be summarized with three mile markers.  The first, "God's Black Sheep Squadron," is a memoir about my dad's final 35 days on earth.  The second, "The Caveman in the Mirror," is a novel about a fictional family with many close ties to my own life's journey.  The final frontier is "Live Long and Prosper."  With God's grace and guidance, this book will be released in the near future.  This book has been my most challenging project as I find myself drawn into some kind of spiritual battle I'm powerless to fight on my own.  The roadblocks I've encountered are enough to drive a sane man into a dark world of pain and suffering.  

As I write today's message, there is a significant disturbance in the air.  Lightning bolts are directly overhead.  The sound of thunder is like a thousand jackhammers.  The trees are bending as if they have no limbs.  The only thing missing right now is the blare of trumpets signaling a tornado which could happen at any moment.  Despite all this turbulence, I find myself at peace.  Once again, the demons who taunt me will be exorcised with the final keystroke.  When that happens I will rejoice.  I will at last share the third leg of my writing journey which sometimes feels like going through some sort of rabbit hole.  Have a great day.

Training Day Today

I'm on the tennis courts at 8am today.  One of my teammates agreed to an early morning practice in preparation for our regional tournament in St. Louis in a couple of weeks.  We're focusing on drills.  More tennis tomorrow.  Bike riding too.  My body is trying to rebel but my mind is not caving.  Have a great day. 

How Are Your Mitochondria Doing?

While it may be true you can't see your mitochondria, there's a way to check up on these powerhouses of your cells.  All you need to do is look in the mirror.  Are you looking like someone who lacks sleep?  I've been there.  No bueno.  How about your energy levels?  Got fatigue?  Maybe your mitochondria are on strike.  If they banded together and formed a union, you may need to hire some additional workers to get your health restored before it's too late and you die.

Before you crawl back in bed and hibernate for the rest of the year, maybe you need to know how to appease those rebels inside your body.  These tiny organisms are crying out to you.  They want you to stop feeding them fake food.  Do this and you may get that spring back in your step.  Get your energy back and you may get the urge to be more active.  Increase your exercise and all of a sudden those lethargic mitochondria get busy.  They call their friends and ask them to join the party.  Before you know it, the mitochondria population explodes inside your gut.  Your energy soars.  Have a great day.

Foot Off Accelerator Today

 It happens to all of us.  Sometimes our bodies need to slow down.  I see this since I'm know longer setting an alarm clock to wake up.  Today I slept in an additional sixty minutes, probably because I'm pushing myself in order to prepare for some big moments ahead that require my body to be at a higher level of physical fitness.  

A 5:00am start may not seem like slowing down but it is for me.  I also skipped my morning exercise.  This is a recharge day and my body needs a rest.  Stay tuned for more.  Have a great day.

Got Sisu?

 If you live in Finland, ranked as the number one place on the happiest people scale for six years in a row, you may be curious to know why.  I came across a story from a psychology expert who spent most of her life in Finland.  These people have a 500-year-old secret ingredient they incorporate into their daily lives...sisu.  You can get too.  It's free.  

There is no specific translation for sisu.  It's a mindset.  Sisu is what you do mentally when you face adversity or near impossible odds.  It's about never giving up.  It's about doing things that will benefit others no matter the personal cost.  It's about finding your purpose.  Seek sisu and I bet you will also find happiness.  Have a great day.

Are You Planning for Success?

If you're searching for a success formula, I have a thought for you today.  This is what I've been doing the last few years of my life:

1. Experiment
2. Fail
3. Learn from the mishap
4. New experiment
5. Fail
6. Go back to step 3 and repeat
7. Succeed (Eventually)

There is also a mindset part of the process.  I have this expectation that I'm going to win.  This can be applied to any and all areas of your life.  For example, I requested and got approved for a week of vacation in October that coincides with a possible team appearance in Surprise, Arizona for the Men's 4.0 18+ national championships.  Based on what I'm witnessing from my teammates who practice like no other, I'm feeling hopeful.

I would like to throw in an additional two cents about my writing.  This is much more than a hobby for me – it's some sort of a calling.  It's my personal way of contributing something for the betterment of all.  What I'm learning about myself is that I'm getting a fringe benefit, improved health.  Just like the seven step process outlined above, my writing journey is the same.  It may be naive of me to think that one day I may have a best seller on my hands.  In my opinion, planning for success isn't much different from failing to plan.  Both ideas are in play all around the world.  Both involve failure.  One is a learning/growing opportunity and  the other is an undesirable outcome.  How are you living your life?  Have a great day.

The Training Continues

The mind/body/soul transformation I'm going through is astounding.  I really do believe I've found the sweet spot for my life.  Eliminating the fluff is part of the reason.  All one has to do to get to a higher level is honestly assess where the time wasters are and do something to raise the game of life.  I'm doing this with greater success as each day passes.  

Yesterday was a second day in a row on the tennis courts.  I find it necessary to give up certain things in order to carve out more training time.  Ragbrai is sneaking up fast.  Sectionals are less than one month away.  It's time to focus.  Stay tuned.  Have a great day. 

Thanks for the Birthday Wishes

 

"Don't worry about the score," my doubles partner urged.  It was 8am in the morning on the 4th of July and I found myself in one of my favorite settings, the tennis courts where I have been learning the game for the last 49 years of my life.  Our team studies the game like no other team I'm aware of.  Video feedback.  Video analysis by one of the foremost YouTube coaches in the country.  Cross training.  Relentless practice sessions.  Why would someone as old me (63 as of the 4th of July) want to be competing with opponents who are one third my age?  The answer is found in my circle of tennis friends who are like a second family to me.  I want to maximize my life and so do every single one of these men who place a premium on excellence.

It may seem counter-intuitive to ignore the score, right?  Isn't tennis about winning?  My team-mate, Steve, cautioned that focusing on the score of today's game inhibits growth because it promotes caution.  When tennis is played at its highest levels, it's about risk.  It's about going for it.  It's about seizing the net and dominating.  Focusing on the score can hold one back.  In my opinion, the sky is the limit for this team.  Next stop is St. Louis for the sectionals.  7 teams will go home.  Only one will advance to the national championships.  Put the team from Iowa on your watch list.  By the way, I want to thank my friends and family for the birthday wishes.  The photo here is from our new deck.  Our next door neighbors from the rec center to the south of us treated us to an amazing fireworks display perfectly choreographed between the gap in our trees separating the two properties.  We had the best seats in the house.  Have a great day.

Happy 4th of July

 The tennis courts are calling out to me this morning.  Our team captain, Jim, set up an early morning practice at 8:00 AM.  My teammates are working hard to reduce double faults and unforced errors while building stamina.  We are sharing ideas to reach maximum potential on the courts.  I'm thankful for the extra practice.  

I'm celebrating 63 revolutions around the sun today.  The older I get the more I realize the importance of a solid food program and consistent exercise.  It helps to be surrounded with like-minded accountability partners who share common goals.  They will unleash a barrage of groundstrokes and killer volleys on birthday boy today.  It will be family day as soon as practice ends.  We plan to watch fireworks from our new deck this evening.  Have a Happy 4th of July.  

There's a New Sheriff in Town

 Our pastor of seven years retired on July 1.  This set up a realignment of multiple houses of worship in the area.  Perhaps the greatest gift our former pastor left us was his request for prayers during the time of transition.  In my opinion, we got three for the price of one when it was announced we would get two deacons along with our new pastor who hails from Africa.  One of the deacons had a stellar career in law enforcement before answering the 911 call to help others grow in their faith.  It was the new deacon who spoke first in our congregation yesterday.  

In other news, I found out our bishop plans to attend Ragbrai, a bike ride across Iowa, later this month.  I'm hoping to ride with his flock of cyclists and visit multiple houses along the way.  By the way, it was sad to say goodbye to our last pastor, a former teacher, who devoted his life to helping others learn about Jesus.  Please keep my community in your prayers as we adjust to new worship times and new leadership.  Have a great day.

How I Became a Deep Sea Fisher of Men

If there are any bragging rights here, they go to Jesus.  I don't believe for one second that anything I'm reporting here is a result of my own efforts.  I can only take credit for one thing, asking Jesus a simple direct question.   The answer forever changed the course of my life.  The answer spawned "The Caveman in the Mirror," a fictional account of my own life from a parallel universe perspective.  Even my good friend, Mr. Spock, cannot explain what happened to me the moment my whole life, past, present, and future, unveiled in a Bible story penned over 2,000 years ago, became stranger than fiction.  It's also the very moment Jesus spoke directly to me and gave me everything I need to do what he asks of me – "Go and publish all the good I am doing for you."

The area where I reside is top-heavy with creative writers.  Any one of these authorities may deem my work as coloring outside the lines.  It's unconventional.  I'm untrained.  There are flaws in my sentence structures.  Sometimes, most of the time, I ramble.  Maybe I should have opted out of the line to the Blarney Stone where the gift of gab is bestowed.  There's no turning back.  I'm all in.  

You're now in paragraph three.  You're annoyed because you want to know the question I asked Jesus and I'm my fingers are still blabbering all over my keyboard.  Maybe it's because you are the one lost at sea and you're the one who told Jesus you would rather be caught dead than get caught up in all of this Malarkey.  Funny thing, though – you're reading this.  Here we are, you and me and you are perhaps thousands of miles away and yet we're together at this moment.  You have questions.  I probably don't have the answers.  You're annoyed.  Maybe you're angry.  Maybe you're bitter.  Maybe you're confused.  You could even be in denial about this Jesus I feature in my daily stories.  All I can say is I'm an untrained, unskilled believer who found Jesus.  I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  He is real.  He is more than capable of reaching you at the very moment you ask him to meet you.  The hook is in front of you right now.  I know.  I know.  You really don't want to bite.  You're afraid your life will change.  I agree.  It will.  Your friends may freak out.  So what?  What do you have to lose?

The life-changing question I asked Jesus isn't really important to you.  What's important is that Jesus answer your questions.  I'm only chumming the waters for you so you can get closer to this Jesus who died for you because that's how much he loves you.  Have a great day.

Why You Should Seek Busy People

 Have you ever heard this... "if you want to get something done, give it to a busy person"?

I have personal experience regarding this and I happen to be that busy person.  Take a look at the opposite person who I call the king or queen of excuses.  This person always says no.  I'm also guilty of saying no but I do this selectively in order to master the to do list.

If you find yourself frozen because you're consumed in never-ending work loads, try changing it up.  Say no to the meaningless or insignificant tasks and say yes to the priorities in your life.

I begin every morning with a guided meditation.  My favorite meditation was removed from my subscription list so I quickly found a reasonable substitute and got back on track.  When my session was over I immediately got into my home office and sat down to write this message.  I know my calendar is completely full yet I'm blocking out time to make sure the important tasks get done so I can start tomorrow with a clean slate.  

Seek out the busy people.  Pay attention to how they maneuver through their days, weeks, and months.  Mimic their ways and you will find yourself getting more things done while minimizing stress.  Have a great day.